We have a date and time for the next flight test of Starship, Flight 15, which is an orbital mission primarily to put a load of 26 V3 Starlink satellites into orbit, as FT-14 did.
The liftoff is scheduled for 5:45 PM EST next Friday, 11/13. The launch window will be open until 7:00 PM.
SpaceX has posted a lengthy description of the mission including several videos and their approaches to the critical aspects. As has been widely reported, the plan is to recover the booster and the ship, returning both to the launch site and grabbing them with "Mechazilla". What hasn't been widely reported is that they expect this to be a nearly 24 hour mission, with the capture of the ship 22 hours and 32 minutes after launch.
Screen capture from a video of the mission posted at that site. Image credit: SpaceX
The emphasis of their discussion is how mission safety and their confidence in being able to do everything safely is really the most important aspect of the mission.
To borrow part of the first page:
Our Approach to a Safe Return
On Flight 15, Starship will initially launch to a passively safe suborbital trajectory. This is the same flight profile used on Starship’s first orbital mission and ensures that any issues encountered during ascent or shortly thereafter will result in Starship reentering over a cleared area of the Indian Ocean.
After this initial ascent, flight controllers will assess the health of Starship’s systems before giving a “go” or “no-go” for orbit. If “go”, Starship will then perform an orbital insertion burn with a single Raptor sea-level engine, increasing its speed and achieving orbit around Earth.
Once on orbit, Starship will deploy its payload of Starlink V3 satellites. Three of these satellites have been modified to acquire imagery of Starship’s heatshield. This method of analyzing Starship’s heatshield has been tested on previous flights and is one of several data sources to help inform Starship’s readiness to return to the launch site on Flight 15.
After deploying its payload, Starship will then coast in orbit for another ~21 hours until its orbit aligns with Starbase for a return. During this multi-hour orbital coast, flight controllers will continuously perform manual and automated checks of Starship systems which, similar to the first orbital flight, will be intentionally conservative. They include Raptor engine health, loss of power or communications, the health of the flight computers and navigation sensors, the structural integrity of the propellant tanks and feedlines, the ability to hold tank pressure, and Starship’s ability to control its attitude.
A screen capture from one of the videos on linked to at the top, after the ship has been captured by the Mechazilla jaws. Note the moon in the background. Image credit: SpaceX
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