September 12, 2026

Meanwhile at Pad 2: Ship 42 hangs from the chopsticks in what watchers read as a catch rehearsal

While Flight 14's vehicles wait in the Mega Bays, SpaceX moved Ship 42, expected to fly Flight 15, out to the launch pad overnight September 10–11, and by morning it was suspended between the tower's chopstick arms without its stabilizer arms engaged. LabPadre and NASASpaceflight both documented the configuration, and LabPadre's read is that it's a direct simulation of the catch procedure. One honesty flag: SpaceX hasn't said what the test is; that's the observers' interpretation of the hardware, and we're labeling it as such. It is, however, consistent with the fit checks and load simulations SpaceX has historically run before committing to a maneuver on a live return.

Why it's worth watching: the tower has been catching boosters since late 2024, but the Starship upper stage has never been caught. Elon Musk has said ship catches are "a few months" away pending regulatory approvals. If Flight 15 attempts it, that would be a first, and this week's pad work is the most concrete sign yet that SpaceX is preparing for it. For residents and visitors: these overnight hardware moves mean brief intermittent Highway 4 delays, not the full closures that come with launches; those arrive as mayor's orders on the city's access page.

Sources: LabPadre — Ship 42 at Pad 2 (Sept. 11) · LabPadre — catch-simulation configuration · NASASpaceflight — Ship 42 on the chopsticks

Know before the next launch: get free Launch Alerts by email, or follow us on X, Facebook and WhatsApp.