Musk indicates Starship upper-stage tower catch won't happen until later this year

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said on Aug. 20 that the first catch of the Starship upper stage using the launch tower will likely occur in a few months, not on the next test flight as previously suggested. The company has already successfully caught the Super Heavy booster on three flights. The upper-stage catch is a key step toward rapid reusability.

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The delay stems from the technical difficulty of recovering the upper stage, which reenters from far greater altitudes and velocities than the Super Heavy booster. SpaceX's recent progress includes Flight 13's successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean, where the vehicle stayed intact even after tipping over—a first for the program. That ship was later towed to Christmas Island for detailed inspection.

The company has demonstrated booster recovery three times, with two flights reusing previously flown Super Heavy boosters. Musk indicated the first reflight of the ship could occur by year's end or early next year, describing the milestone as pivotal for deep-space exploration. Regulatory approval remains a prerequisite for the tower-catch attempt.

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