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SpaceX's Starship reaches orbital velocity for first time

SpaceX's Starship rocket completed a test flight reaching orbital velocity, marking the first time the vehicle has achieved this milestone after multiple prior attempts ended in failure. The flight demonstrated key systems needed for the spacecraft's eventual role in deep-space missions, though the company still faces significant engineering hurdles before Starship can be used commercially.

SpaceX Starship Reaches Orbit but Engine Failures Cut Test Flight Short

SpaceX's 14th Starship test flight reached orbit for the first time on Monday, deploying 26 functioning Starlink satellites and completing a controlled splashdown of its Super Heavy booster. However, engine failures—one on the booster during ascent and descent, and one on the upper stage during ascent—forced SpaceX to cut the planned 10-hour, six-orbit mission short, returning the ship to Earth after about three hours before it exploded on Pacific splashdown.

SpaceX shares dip 2% despite successful Starship test flight and Starlink deployment

SpaceX's 14th Starship test flight on Monday reached stable orbit, deployed 26 V3 Starlink satellites, and completed a controlled splashdown in the Pacific despite a vacuum Raptor engine failure. Despite the largely successful mission, SpaceX's private stock fell about 2% on the day and remains below where it stood a week earlier, prompting confusion among investors on social media.

SpaceX Starship reaches orbit, deploys 26 Starlink V3 satellites

SpaceX's Starship completed its 14th test flight on Monday, achieving orbital insertion for the first time and deploying 26 of its new Starlink V3 satellites from Starbase in South Texas. The Super Heavy booster, using 33 Raptor engines, separated and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, while the upper stage suffered an early engine shutdown before restarting a Raptor engine to reach an orbit roughly 171 miles up. SpaceX confirmed contact with all 26 deployed satellites, each weighing about 2 metric tons.

NASA pays Boeing $359M more, orders two extra Starliner crew flights

NASA announced it will exercise options for two additional crewed Starliner missions and provide Boeing $359 million to rebuild overheating reaction control thrusters and certify ULA's Vulcan rocket for astronaut flights. The funding comes on top of $5.1 billion already paid under the fixed-price Commercial Crew contract, after Starliner's 2024 crewed test flight nearly ended in disaster due to thruster failures.

SpaceX Starship reaches orbit, deploys 26 next-gen Starlink satellites

SpaceX's 14th Starship test flight launched from Starbase, Texas, and for the first time accelerated the upper stage to full orbital velocity rather than the suborbital trajectories used in prior tests. During the flight, the rocket deployed 26 next-generation Starlink satellites, which are too large to fit aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, releasing them one by one from its cargo bay. The Super Heavy booster separated and made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico near the launch site.

NYC Council subpoenas Elon Musk over Grok AI safety concerns

The New York City Council issued a subpoena to Elon Musk demanding testimony from him or another SpaceXAI representative at an Oct. 5 hearing before all 51 council members. The probe examines whether AI poses risks to public safety, cybersecurity, privacy and economic stability, following lawsuits alleging Grok was used to generate non-consensual deepfake pornography, including images of minors.

SpaceX's Starship reaches orbit for first time, deploys 26 Starlink satellites

On its 14th test flight, SpaceX's Starship reached Earth orbit for the first time, despite one of its more than three dozen engines shutting down early. The uncrewed vehicle deployed 26 advanced Starlink satellites before mission controllers cut the planned 10-hour flight to three hours, and the craft splashed down in the Pacific north of Hawaii, tipping over and catching fire.

SpaceX's Starship reaches low-Earth orbit for first time on Flight 14

SpaceX's Starship, launched atop its Super Heavy booster, reached low-Earth orbit for the first time on its 14th flight, despite losing one of six Raptor engines mid-mission. The company shortened the planned orbital stay from about 10 hours to roughly three before Starship reentered and landed in the Pacific Ocean. During the flight, SpaceX deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites into orbit and confirmed contact with all of them, while the Super Heavy booster splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico for eventual recovery.

SpaceX's Starship Reaches Orbit, Deploys 26 Starlink V3 Satellites

SpaceX's Starship completed its first orbital flight, deploying 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites despite an early shutdown of one Raptor 3 engine during ascent. After assessing the upper stage's condition at its first orbital checkpoint, SpaceX opted to cut the mission short, moving up the deorbit burn to about 11 a.m. EDT with splashdown planned in the Northern Pacific, rather than waiting out the full 7.5-hour orbital window.

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