SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has shared an update on when the company will attempt to “catch” Starship using the massive chopstick arms on its “Mechazilla” launch tower, implying the milestone will likely come in 2026.
Responding to questions on X, Musk said Starship’s first catch attempt will probably take place between Flight 13 and Flight 15, depending on how well the company’s upcoming Starship V3 flights go.
Earlier this week, Musk revealed that Starship V3 should complete production and testing by the end of 2025, with heavy flight activity expected throughout 2026. SpaceX is also already working on an even longer and more powerful Starship V4, which will feature 42 Raptor engines and is targeted to debut in 2027.
Catching Starship upon reentry will be the next big leap in SpaceX’s rapid development cycle. The company already made history last year when it successfully caught a returning Super Heavy Booster with Mechazilla during Flight 5, proving the ambitious system could work in practice. Now, the goal is to replicate that feat with the upper-stage Starship itself.
The news comes after SpaceX on Tuesday completed its 10th Starship flight test, which successfully met all of its primary objectives. That mission notably included a first-of-its-kind Pez dispenser-like test deployment of Starlink satellite simulators along the ship’s suborbital trajectory, paving the way for real orbital payload missions in the future.
If all goes according to plan, SpaceX could attempt its first Starship catch in 2026, once V3 vehicles prove they can withstand the rigors of reentry without shedding debris.
