SpaceX tests six Ship 42 engines ahead of Flight 15 — Space.com

SpaceX conducted static-fire tests of the Starship upper stage intended for the system's 15th test flight at its Starbase site in South Texas, United States. During the tests on October 26 and 27, Ship 42 remained secured to the ground while the company fired its Raptor engines.

Ship 42 tests

As Space.com reports, on October 27 SpaceX conducted a full-duration static-fire test of all six Ship 42 engines. In an X post on October 28, the company also reported firing one Raptor engine to simulate a braking burn during the spacecraft's descent from orbit.

Earlier, SpaceX successfully conducted a static-fire test of all 33 engines of Booster 22, the Super Heavy first stage planned for use in Flight 15. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said the launch is tentatively scheduled for November.

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Attempt to catch both stages

Musk also said that during Flight 15, the company may attempt for the first time to catch both Ship and Super Heavy using the launch tower's arms, known as “chopsticks.” For this, SpaceX must obtain regulatory approval.

The company has already caught Super Heavy with the launch tower mechanisms three times during Starship test flights, but Ship has not yet been recovered this way. Under SpaceX's plan, both stages are to be caught during operational launches as well: this is expected to reduce the time needed to prepare the system for another flight. Starship is designed as a fully reusable system, while the upper stages of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are expendable.

During Flight 14, which took place on September 28, Starship reached orbit for the first time. Ship then deployed 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites.