Will SpaceX catch a Starship upper stage with its launch tower arms by December 31, 2026?

SpaceX has caught the Super Heavy booster on three of Starship's 14 test flights but has never tried to catch the upper stage, called Ship. On its October 20 earnings call, SpaceX said it will attempt to catch both stages on Flight 15, expected next month. Ship returns higher, farther and faster than the booster.

How this question entered the record and how it will be resolved.

Resolution criteria

Resolves Yes if, on or before December 31, 2026 (UTC), a Starship upper stage (Ship) is caught by the launch tower arms at a SpaceX launch site after a flight, as confirmed by SpaceX on its official channels and reported by at least one independent outlet (Space.com, SpaceNews or NASASpaceflight). A booster-only catch does not count, and neither does a splashdown or a landing on legs. Resolves No otherwise.

Expected resolution

Dec 31, 2026

• Space.com, October 20, 2026: SpaceX said on its third-quarter earnings call that Flight 15 will try to catch both Starship stages, expected next month
• Space.com, October 20, 2026: Musk said it is "more likely than not that this succeeds next flight" and that more flight attempts would follow through the end of the year if it does not
• Space.com, October 20, 2026: boosters have been caught on three of 14 test flights, and Flight 14 on September 28 was the first Starship to reach orbit

No Ship catch has ever been attempted, and the upper stage comes back with far more energy than the booster. Musk gave no firm date for Flight 15, so a slip or a failed first attempt leaves little time before the end of the year.

• A Flight 15 date slip past November
• Ground test results for the next Ship and booster
• Regulatory approval for the flight plan