AP
SpaceX Starship Launch
SpaceX's mega rocket Starship is stacked and prepared for a test flight from Starbase, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026.
As featured on
SpaceX is launching Starship to orbit on its boldest test yet, a 22-hour flight that aims to recapture the entire rocket at the Texas pad. Federal regulators provided clearance Friday, just a few hours ahead of the planned late afternoon liftoff. Elon Musk's company will attempt to return the booster six minutes after liftoff, followed the next day by the bullet-shaped spacecraft in what would be a momentous first. Giant mechanical arms will attempt to pluck each segment in midair. The spacecraft will deliver 26 Starlink satellites to orbit, then complete 15 laps around Earth before tackling the grand finale.
