SpaceX will try to catch both Starship stages with its tower for the first time

SpaceX plans to attempt a tower catch of each Starship stage on its next test flight, which is expected in November, according to Space.com. CEO Elon Musk announced the plan on Tuesday during the company's third-quarter earnings call. He offered no exact date for Flight 15.

If both catches succeed, "this will be the first time that an orbital launch vehicle has been fully recovered," Musk said on the call. He called the milestone a profound moment for both civilization and consciousness.

Musk said he expects the attempt to work. "I'd say it's more likely than not that this succeeds next flight," he said. "And if not, we have a steady stream of Starship flight attempts through the end of this year, and then accelerating next year."

Starship has two stages, the Super Heavy booster and the Ship upper stage. Each is designed to return to the launch tower, where "chopstick" arms catch the vehicle. SpaceX has caught Super Heavy on three of Starship's 14 test flights, according to Space.com. The company has yet to attempt a Ship catch, a tougher job because that stage flies a longer route, at greater altitude and velocity, than the booster, according to Space.com.

Catching both stages would speed up how quickly SpaceX can check, repair and relaunch the vehicle, according to Space.com. Musk has said his goal is to fly Starship upward of 10,000 times annually by 2030.

Flight 14 took place on Sept. 28. Ship made its first trip to orbit on that flight and released 26 Starlink Version 3 satellites, according to Space.com.

SpaceX reported its first quarterly profit as a public company on Tuesday, with net income of $4.4 billion on revenue of $14.6 billion, up 161% from a year earlier. Revenue from the space segment, which includes launch, was $1.8 billion, up 6%. The company completed Starship Flight 14 during the quarter.