SpaceX’s Starship has reached orbit for the first time. The giant rocket lifted off from Starbase in Texas on its 14th test flight. It completed six trips around the Earth during a ten-hour journey.
The mission lasted about ten hours, making it the longest Starship flight so far. During the flight, the ship released a batch of working satellites. This was the first time Starship had deployed a real payload in orbit.
The uncrewed vehicle stands about 40 storeys tall. It carried out the first working release of satellites from Starship. The flight ended with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
The flight ended with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Why orbit matters
Reaching orbit is a key test for any new rocket. All 13 earlier Starship flights had stayed below orbit. The rocket is built to launch Starlink satellites more often and to carry future NASA missions to the Moon.
The first ship to survive a splashdown, Ship 40, has now returned to Starbase. Engineers are preparing it for further work. SpaceX is also getting ready for Flight 15, which may try to catch the booster at the launch tower.
What comes next
SpaceX plans at least one more test flight from Texas. After that, the company wants to fly Starship from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Florida pad is now in acceptance testing.
NASA’s Artemis Moon programme depends on Starship reaching orbit reliably. The company has spent more than 15 billion dollars developing the rocket so far.
Comments (0)
Be respectful — comments are moderated.