STARBASE, TEXAS / RankWire.AI / – SpaceX’s Starship successfully entered Earth orbit for the first time on September 28, 2026, representing a significant breakthrough for the launch vehicle. The spacecraft launched from Starbase in South Texas during its 14th full-scale Starship mission. During ascent, one Raptor engine shut down, yet the vehicle proceeded toward its orbital goal. Prior to completing its mission, Starship deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites and performed a flight lasting approximately three hours.
This orbital maneuver extended beyond the suborbital flights conducted during earlier Starship tests. After detaching from the Super Heavy booster, Starship continued its ascent into space. Flight controllers evaluated the engine issue before the spacecraft achieved orbital insertion with its remaining propulsion systems. This flight marked the first time a Starship remained in Earth orbit and also the first to deliver operational satellites to their deployment point.
Originally, SpaceX had scheduled a longer flight lasting nearly 10 hours, involving about six orbits around Earth before a controlled descent into the Pacific Ocean west of Chile. However, the engine shutdown led to a shortened mission profile. Before exiting orbit, Starship successfully deployed all 26 Starlink V3 satellites at an altitude of around 270 kilometers, marking the first operational payload release for the spacecraft.
Starship achieves milestone with first operational payload deployment in orbit
The satellite deployment represented a key achievement for Starship’s initial orbital mission, marking a commercial payload milestone. The V3 satellites are part of a newer generation of the Starlink broadband constellation. Their larger size underscores Starship’s role as a critical launch platform capable of transporting significant numbers of these satellites. All 26 satellites successfully separated during the orbital phase, following Starship’s first sustained orbital insertion.
Following separation, Super Heavy initiated its descent back to Earth, targeting the Gulf of Mexico for its planned landing burn over water. During the descent, several engines malfunctioned, resulting in a hard splashdown. Meanwhile, Starship reentered the atmosphere on a revised trajectory, heading toward the Pacific north of Hawaii instead of the originally planned splashdown zone near Chile.
Brief flight concludes with Pacific splashdown after operational achievements
After approximately three hours aloft, Starship reached the Pacific Ocean, completing its descent and tipping onto its side upon splashdown. Flames appeared around the vehicle post-splash. SpaceX did not intend to recover either Starship or Super Heavy from the water after this test. The mission’s success was marked by several firsts, including achieving orbital insertion, deploying operational satellites, and executing an orbital reentry sequence.
NASA maintains a direct involvement in Starship’s development via the Artemis lunar program. The agency selected a modified version of Starship as a Human Landing System for upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon. This version will transport astronauts between lunar orbit and the lunar surface. NASA requires an uncrewed lunar landing demonstration before astronauts can operate the system. Flight 14 was purely an Earth-orbit mission using the standard Starship design and carried no crew.
}}#END#} 12b7wsl12wqv0zqb7jss0m5dzq0jf3kn9zlz5r3w8z4k3m0x5l7z2} 13y2l4y3o0d6z4w4m8n0f1q0t7u7n7k4q0m3r9g5v2r7m2x0b9l8w0b2k3} 22h7c8v3e0n1r0x4d8t1b1m1k7o0b7d0p3w5s0t5h4u8v0b0o5t6l8r2t1c0c4t8c4d0k9w0w8m4f3h3r0p1w0k8z3x4t1k0q8n6v4n0t4n3l0k1e0k0} 20v9m0b4k8w2l8p8h0v0f8r0k4w9h2l1b2n0l0l2w0z1t4q0z6s0v9f4q0t0l1a0g4g8w7q0d3n0} 22k4e0q4w0r7w0j0v2r0f8q0v7f0h4z0v9f0p7z0k0f0j4v0w0k0r0m0q0z0k4t0f0z4s0u0o0n0e0u0p0w0z0b0h0g0p0w0l0d0p0z0k0b0b0o0u0k0p0m0d0h0} 13v1n0i0b0w0p0v4s0d0k0v0k0p0h0n0r0a0d0q0h0j0b0f0h0d0m0d0c0d0u0s0i0g0d0l0g0k0n0f0k0f0c0b0k0k0r0l0l0c0w0} 20e4h8t2t0i2c2h2l8d0k0n0t8e0k0b8a0a0m0n0k0k0h0v0d0k0a0g0p0z0z0d0w0h0s0m0g0i0k0k0p0f0l0h0n0m0w0d0e0d0b0n0w0z0u0j0o0w0h0m0} 13z7s8z0j0x0k0v0m0p0w0h0b0n0g0f0h0m0c0t0f0g0l0n0m0t0w0a0t0b0o0v0c0b0w0s0k0f0m0k0m0j0k0h0f0q0t0w0q0j0l0s0n0w0h0d0w0k0o0k0g0k0} 20c4r8e4a4m0g0n0e0s0b0w0h0e0e0o0k0q0w0n0h0s0h0h0f0m0s0q0h0f0h0l0l0k0m0w0k0s0k0m0k0e0n0m0w0w0q0w0n0k0g0l0k0o0k0l0g0e0k0k0} 13k4o8l0i0w0a0k0l0n0k0f0v0w0k0t0k0i0z0s0k0q0a0s0t0g0h0g0w0q0s0h0b0a0l0w0k0j0h0b0d0s0h0w0k0k0w0s0j0k0f0b0k0h0k0k0z0s0f0k0n0z0p0t0m0k0} 22h7c8v3e0n1r0x4d8t1b1m1k7o0b7d0p3w5s0t5h4u8v0b0o5t6l8r2t1c0c4t8c4d0k9w0w8m4f3h3r0p1w0k8z3x4t1k0q8n6v4n0t4n3l0k1e0k0} 20v9m0b4k8w2l8p8h0v0f8r0k4w9h2l1b2n0l0l2w0z1t4q0z6s0v9f4q0t0l1a0g4g8w7q0d3n0} 22k4e0q4w0r7w0j0v2r0f8q0v7f0h4z0v9f0p7z0k0f0j4v0w0k0r0m0q0z0k4t0f0z4s0u0o0n0e0u0p0w0z0b0h0g0p0w0l0d0p0z0k0b0b0o0u0k0p0m0d0h0} 13v1n0i0b0w0p0v4s0d0k0v0k0p0h0n0r0a0d0q0h0j0b0f0h0d0m0d0c0d0u0s0i0g0d0l0g0k0n0f0k0f0c0b0k0k0r0l0l0c0w0} 20e4h8t2t0i2c2h2l8d0k0n0t8e0k0b8a0a0m0n0k0k0h0v0d0k0a0g0p0z0z0d0w0h0s0m0g0i0k0k0p0f0l0h0n0m0w0d0e0d0b0n0w0z0u0j0o0w0h0m0} 13z7s8z0j0x0k0v0m0p0w0h0b0n0g0f0h0m0c0t0f0g0l0n0m0t0w0a0t0b0o0v0c0b0w0s0k0f0m0k0m0j0k0h0f0q0t0w0q0j0l0s0n0w0h0d0w0k0o0k0g0k0} 20c4r8e4a4m0g0n0e0s0b0w0h0e0e0o0k0q0w0n0h0s0h0h0f0m0s0q0h0f0h0l0l0k0m0w0k0s0k0m0k0e0n0m0w0w0q0w0n0k0g0l0k0o0k0l0g0e0k0k0