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Musk Delays Starship Tower Catch by Months

8/22/2026

50 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Elon Musk says the Starship upper-stage tower catch will be delayed by months.
He had pledged a catch on Aug. 4 if the FAA granted approval.
Flight 14 is slated for early-mid September to attempt Starship’s first orbital mission with Starlink V3.
SpaceX performed a single-engine static fire on Aug. 19 and a six-engine test on Aug. 20.
Ship 41 and Super Heavy Booster 21 will likely splash down in the ocean rather than be caught.

History

Historical Context

SpaceX’s first Falcon 9 flew on 4 June 2010, and by December 2015 it achieved the first propulsive ground landing, followed by the inaugural drone-ship touchdown on 8 April 2016. Those milestones proved private rockets could reach orbit and be reused, reshaping launch economics. Today, SpaceX seeks FAA clearance for a September Starship orbital test, with an August 4 catch-up deadline at risk.

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Story summary

Elon Musk says the Starship upper-stage tower catch will be delayed by months.
He had pledged a catch on Aug. 4 if the FAA granted approval.
Flight 14 is slated for early-mid September to attempt Starship’s first orbital mission with Starlink V3.
SpaceX performed a single-engine static fire on Aug. 19 and a six-engine test on Aug. 20.
Ship 41 and Super Heavy Booster 21 will likely splash down in the ocean rather than be caught.

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