SpaceX’s Starship reached Earth orbit for the first time on its 14th flight Sept. 28. The company said it placed 26 Starlink V3 satellites in orbit and would deorbit after three hours there, shortening a mission planned to last nearly 10 hours.
The original plan called for roughly six orbits at about 275 kilometers (more than 170 miles) above Earth, followed by a Pacific splashdown west of Chile. One of the booster’s 33 engines appeared to shut down during ascent on the livestream, but Starship reached space and teams proceeded with an orbital attempt.
SpaceX called the day “wildly successful,” citing Starship’s orbital insertion burn, and said its Starlink team had contacted all 26 satellites. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated the company. The previous Starship flight, on July 24, ended before liftoff after engine-startup difficulties.
