SpaceX’s Starship reached Earth orbit for the first time on 28 September 2026 during its 14th test flight and deployed 26 next-generation Starlink satellites.
The vehicle lifted off from Starbase in Texas. After reaching orbit it released the Starlink V3 satellites, marking the first orbital deployment of this higher-capacity version. SpaceX confirmed contact with all 26 satellites. The company has said V3 satellites add significantly more capacity per launch than the earlier versions flown on Falcon 9.
The mission was cut short after an engine issue. SpaceX returned the upper stage earlier than the originally planned multi-orbit profile, with the ship splashing down in the Pacific after roughly three hours. Despite the early end, the flight achieved its main objectives of reaching orbit and deploying operational Starlink satellites.
This was the first Starship flight to place revenue-generating satellites into orbit.
Source: SpaceX updates and contemporaneous reporting.
