GoKawiilSpaceX'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.
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Reaching orbit marks a major milestone for the world's largest launch vehicle, suggesting SpaceX is progressing toward its goal of a fully reusable rocket system that could sharply cut launch costs. The early engine shutdown and shortened flight indicate the vehicle still faces reliability issues that SpaceX will likely need to resolve before crewed or long-duration missions become feasible.
- Starship reached orbit for the first time on its 14th test flight despite an engine failure.
- The spacecraft deployed 26 new Starlink satellites before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
- SpaceX shortened the planned 10-hour mission to three hours, though it did not confirm if the engine issue was the cause.
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Published there as: “SpaceX Gets Starship Into Orbit for First Time, Despite Engine Issue”
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