S42

Ship planned for Flight 15 with Booster 22. Two cryogenic tests at Massey overnight 3–4 September 2026, then a second test series from 9 September. On 11 and 12 September it was lifted by the Pad 2 tower arms (test of the "pushers", first lift of a Ship to maximum height), then tested the connection of the propellant arm. Its engines, installed in Mega Bay 2, were later removed; new cryogenic test at Massey overnight 8–9 October before returning to Mega Bay 2.

On the evening of 25 October (Texas time) it left Mega Bay 2 on its static fire stand for Massey, followed by a test section; it performed its first static fire there on the evening of 26 October (around 3:20 a.m. on 27 October, Paris time), apparently with a single engine.

Static-fire campaign completed (1-engine test overnight 26–27 October, then 6 engines ~60 s on the afternoon of 27 October); SpaceX confirmed the campaign end on 28 October. Returned to Mega Bay 2 overnight 28–29 October for final inspections ahead of Flight 15.

Flight 15 (13–14 November 2026, with Booster 22): all six engines worked, successful orbital insertion and 26 Starlink V3 deployed (contact made with every satellite). On 14 November at about 10:21 pm (Paris time), after about 22 and a half hours of flight and 14 orbits, Ship 42 was caught by the chopsticks at Pad 2 — the first catch of a Starship upper stage. Within about 20 minutes it was repositioned on the arms and the SQD was attached; the heat shield appeared to be in good condition after reentry.

Sources: StarBase FR video of 11 September 2026 and Starship Update 219, 221 & 222; StarBase FR video of 27 October 2026; StarBase FR Starship Update, 3 November 2026 (SU 224); YouTube StarBase FR — le booster explose en mer (orbit and deployment, before the catch); NSF — Flight 15 article; NSF — X catch; NSF — X SQD/heat shield; NSF — X transport stand.