SpaceX Starship reaches orbit on 14th flight
by Terrymiller: SpaceX
The 14th flight is where Starship finally punched through to Earth orbit. 26 Starlink V3 satellites rode up with it, and all 26 got deployed. Not a clean run either: one booster engine and one ship engine cut out early, and the vehicle just kept going. SpaceX trimmed the orbital phase as a precaution, then came the first deorbit burn and a controlled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. That combo of deploying a full batch and still bringing the ship home is the kind of thing future missions get built on.
Transcript (en)
SpaceX's Starship has reached orbit for the first time. On its 14th flight, Starship lifted off from Texas carrying 26 Starlink V3 satellites. One booster engine and one ship engine shut down early, but the vehicle continued its mission. Starship entered Earth's orbit and successfully deployed all 26 satellites. SpaceX then shortened the orbital phase as a precaution, performed its first de-orbit burn, and splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
