October 10, 2026 · Starship · Starbase

Flight 15's ship is back on the test stand: Ship 42 returned to Massey's a third time with its engines removed, and the unofficial target is Nov. 8

On an unofficial schedule the next Starship is about a month out, and its ship just went back for more testing. "Recently, SpaceX removed all six engines from Ship 42 and has since rolled it back out to Massey's for a third time on the ship cryo-proof stand," NASASpaceflight reported Friday. Ship 42 and Booster 22 are set to fly Flight 15, per the same report.

• The date: NASASpaceflight's Oct. 8 "Starship (unofficial) schedule latest" lists "Flight 15 (Starbase Pad 2) - NET November 8." Its Friday story says the date comes from "a new slide from Cadena," the air traffic planning network. SpaceX has not announced a date, and Starbase Events still lists Flight 15 as "no launch date yet." Treat Nov. 8 as a planning target, not a launch date.
• Why the extra test: "It is unclear exactly why SpaceX is doing this," NASASpaceflight wrote. The one possibility it singles out is an internal change, possibly to the engine plumbing, for issues engineers may have seen on Flights 12 and 14 that are causing Raptor Vacuum engine outs. "Whatever the changes are, they require thrust ram testing rather than just a cryo-proof test before a static fire," it wrote.
• Can it make Nov. 8: NASASpaceflight says Ship 42 "could be ready for flight in early November" if the extra testing doesn't set SpaceX back much. Booster 22 is still in Mega Bay 1 and "could be ready for a static fire as early as late next week."
• The license: per NASASpaceflight, Starship's current launch license is written for the mission Flight 14 was set to fly. If SpaceX wants to change the mission, "like trying for a ship catch, it could take a bit to get regulatory approval to change the license." It adds: "SpaceX could still try to catch both the ship and the booster on Flight 15, but neither has been confirmed."
• Flight 16: the same schedule lists it "Potentially KSC 39A" no earlier than Dec. 10, which NASASpaceflight says would be the first Starship flight from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

What it means here: no closure order yet. The city's beach and road page reads "No public notices at this time," and the newest order on its list is the Flight 14 closure order, signed Sept. 24. Engine tests and launches bring Highway 4 and beach closures, which the city posts there; in August it closed roads for a Booster 21 engine test. Text BEACH to 1-866-513-3475 for the city's beach updates.

This weekend: Ship 40's road trip to the production site is listed for tonight, a Highway 4 delay marked "Port to Production" from 10:55 p.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Sunday. The Ship 40 story. At the coast, NWS Brownsville has a high surf advisory for "large breaking waves of 3 to 6 feet" until 7 p.m. today, a high rip current risk through Sunday morning, and a coastal flood advisory until 7 a.m. Sunday, with water "reaching or pushing into the dunes on South Padre Island." The weather service says vehicles "except those with four wheel drive and high wheel bases, will be unable to be driven on the beach." The city lists Boca Chica Beach as open.

Sources: NASASpaceflight, "Ship 40 Returns Home as Ship 42 gets more Cryo Proof Testing" (Ryan Weber, Oct. 9) · NASASpaceflight on X, unofficial schedule (Oct. 8) · Starbase Events, Flight 15 (read Oct. 10) · City of Starbase, beach and road access (read Oct. 10) · City of Starbase on X, Booster 21 engine test closures (Aug. 28) · NWS Brownsville, South Padre Island advisories (read Oct. 10)

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