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. Although one Raptor engine shut down during ascent, the craft persisted in its trajectory toward orbit. Prior to mission completion, Starship released 26 Starlink V3 satellites, concluding a shortened flight that lasted approximately three hours.
This orbital mission exceeded the suborbital profiles employed in earlier Starship tests. The vehicle separated from the Super Heavy booster and continued ascending toward space. SpaceX’s flight controllers evaluated the engine issue before the spacecraft achieved orbital insertion utilizing its remaining propulsion system. This flight marks the first Starship mission to stay in Earth’s orbit and the inaugural one to deploy operational satellites at their intended orbit.
Initially, SpaceX aimed for a much longer journey, nearly 10 hours in duration, involving about six orbits around Earth prior to a controlled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile. However, the engine shutdown caused a reduction in mission length. Before leaving orbit, Starship deployed all 26 Starlink V3 satellites at roughly 270 kilometers altitude, marking the first operational payload deployment for the spacecraft.
Starship accomplishes first orbital payload deployment
The satellite deployment added a commercial milestone to Starship’s initial orbital mission. The V3 satellites are part of a newer generation within the Starlink broadband network. Their increased size emphasizes Starship’s role as a key platform for launching larger quantities of such satellites. All 26 satellites separated successfully during the orbital phase, following Starship’s completion of its first sustained orbital insertion.
Meanwhile, Super Heavy initiated its own return sequence after separating from Starship. The booster descended toward the Gulf of Mexico, initiating its planned landing burn over water. Some engines did not operate as intended during descent, leading to a hard splashdown. Subsequently, Starship re-entered the atmosphere on a revised trajectory, heading toward the Pacific north of Hawaii instead of the originally planned splashdown zone near Chile.
Brief mission ends with Pacific splashdown after a shortened flight
The spacecraft reached the Pacific after roughly three hours of flight time. It then completed its descent, touching down in the ocean and tipping onto its side. Flames appeared around the vehicle post-splashdown. SpaceX had not planned to recover either Starship or Super Heavy from the water following this test. The mission concluded successfully, achieving several milestones such as orbital insertion, operational satellite deployment, and a completed orbital reentry sequence.
NASA also actively contributes to Starship’s development through the Artemis lunar program. The agency selected a modified version of Starship as a Human Landing System for upcoming Artemis Moon missions, designed to ferry astronauts between lunar orbit and the surface. Prior to crewed operations, NASA requires an uncrewed lunar landing test. Flight 14, however, was an uncrewed Earth-orbit mission utilizing the standard Starship configuration and did not carry any crew.