Ep 163: Starship Flight 15 caught Ship 42 after fourteen orbits — the first orbital return to the…

Starship Flight 15 caught Ship 42 after fourteen orbits — the first orbital return to the tower. Segment 1 — The Open Picture the last minute, not the launch. Ship 42 is already through the fire. It has left orbit, come through reentry, and is on a banking approach toward the same Texas tower it left the day before. Three Raptor engines light for the flip and the slowdown. Near hover the stack sheds to one engine. ... Sources: thespaceroad.com (https://thespaceroad.com/articles/how-does-starship-catch-work/) · spacex.com (https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-15) · basenor.com (https://www.basenor.com/blogs/news/starship-flight-15-first-ever-return-to-launch-site-catch-attempt-underway) · teslarati.com (https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-catches-starship-first/) · space.com (https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-says-starship-flight-15-booster-aborted-chopsticks-landing-catch-after-launch-due-to-guidance-issue-video) · hotair.com (https://hotair.com/john-s-2/2026/11/14/heres-why-the-flight-15-booster-catch-was-abandoned-n3821015) · globalsecurity.org (https://globalsecurity.org/space/systems/space-x-starship-015.htm) · nasaspaceflight.com (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/10/spacex-flight-15-16-milestones/) Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 5:10 The Engineering Angle 13:07 The Counterpoint 19:27 Closing AI Disclosure: This podcast is curated by Patrick but uses AI-generated voice synthesis for audio production. 🎬 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxdWhnb4QEY Apple Podcasts shows new listeners the stars from only a handful of SpaceX Daily ratings so far, so each one counts. If the show is worth your morning, open it in Apple Podcasts, scroll to Ratings & Reviews and tap a star. Rate SpaceX Daily on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896920957) Enjoyed this episode? A rating or short review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify helps SpaceX Daily reach the next listener who wants the same thing: sourced updates, no outrage diet. SpaceX Daily is part of Nerra Network, a family of free shows, most of them daily. 📝 Full show notes, transcript & sources: read the episode page (https://nerranetwork.com/blog/spacex/ep163.html?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=episode&utm_campaign=nn-spacex-en-episode-ep163&utm_content=shownotes) 🎧 Your morning in one episode: SpaceX Daily, the other shows you follow and your own stocks, read to you by name. Try My Nerra free for 7 days (https://nerranetwork.com/join.html?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=episode&utm_campaign=nn-spacex-en-episode-ep163-personal&utm_content=shownotes) , then $4.99 a month. 📬 The free Nerra Daily email, every morning at 7 AM Eastern: sign up (https://nerranetwork.com/nerra-daily.html?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=episode&utm_campaign=nn-spacex-en-episode-ep163-email&utm_content=shownotes#show-nerra_daily-hero-newsletter) 🌐 Part of the Nerra Network — explore every show at nerranetwork.com (https://nerranetwork.com) .