STARBASE, TEXAS / RankWire.AI / – SpaceX’s Starship made history on September 28, 2026, by reaching Earth orbit for the first time, setting a significant milestone for the launch system. The spacecraft launched from Starbase in South Texas during its 14th full-scale Starship mission. Although one Raptor engine shut down during ascent, the vehicle continued its journey toward orbit. Prior to completing its mission, Starship deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites before concluding a shortened flight lasting approximately three hours.
This orbital journey surpassed the suborbital profiles of previous Starship tests. After separating from the Super Heavy booster, Starship persisted in its ascent toward space. Flight controllers evaluated the engine issue, yet the spacecraft managed to achieve orbital insertion using its remaining propulsion system. This flight marked the first time a Starship spacecraft remained in Earth orbit and the first to deliver operational satellites for deployment.
Initially, SpaceX had planned a much longer mission lasting nearly 10 hours. The original plan involved approximately six orbits around Earth before a controlled return to the Pacific Ocean west of Chile. The shutdown of the engine led the company to shorten the mission duration. Before leaving orbit, Starship released all 26 Starlink V3 satellites at an altitude of about 270 kilometers, marking the spacecraft’s first operational payload deployment.
Starship Successfully Places First Operational Payload in Orbit
This satellite deployment represented a key commercial milestone for Starship’s initial orbital operation. The V3 satellites are part of a newer generation within the Starlink broadband network, and their larger size makes Starship a crucial launch platform for deploying substantial numbers of such payloads. During the orbital phase, all 26 satellites separated from the spacecraft successfully. This achievement followed Starship’s accomplishment of its first sustained orbital insertion.
Super Heavy executed its own return sequence after detaching from Starship. The booster descended toward the Gulf of Mexico, initiating its planned landing burn over the water. During descent, several engines did not perform as expected, leading to a hard splashdown. Meanwhile, Starship re-entered the atmosphere on a revised trajectory, heading toward the Pacific north of Hawaii instead of the initially planned splashdown zone near Chile.
Shortened mission concludes with Pacific splashdown
In approximately three hours, Starship reached the Pacific, completing its descent and settling onto the ocean surface before tipping onto its side. Flames became visible around the vehicle after splashdown. Neither Starship nor Super Heavy was intended to be recovered from the water after this test. The mission concluded successfully after accomplishing several firsts: achieving orbital insertion, deploying operational satellites, and completing an orbital reentry sequence.
NASA also plays a direct role in the development of Starship via the Artemis lunar program. The agency selected a modified version of Starship as a Human Landing System for upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon, which will transport astronauts between lunar orbit and the surface. An uncrewed lunar landing demonstration is required before astronauts can utilize the system. Flight 14 was an Earth-orbit mission using the standard Starship configuration and carried no crew.