SpaceX’s showpiece Starship rocket reaches orbit for first time

SpaceX's Starship rocket, the largest ever built, successfully reached orbit for the first time on Monday from its launch site in Texas. The uncrewed spacecraft, intended for NASA missions to the moon and beyond, carried 26 Starlink satellites. Despite one engine shutting down prematurely, flight controllers proceeded with the mission, aiming to circle the globe multiple times before a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. This marks a significant milestone for SpaceX, as previous test flights had not achieved orbital reach. The company is proceeding cautiously with its testing, prioritizing safety for future return flights to the launch site.

SpaceX successfully sent its Starship rocket into Earth's orbit for the first time during its 14th test flight from Texas. Despite an initial engine failure after launch, mission controllers decided to proceed with the orbital burn, a decision met with cheers at SpaceX. This milestone flight, intended to pave the way for lunar and Mars missions, saw Starship reach an altitude of approximately 171 miles. While the original plan was for six Earth loops, Starship was brought back early for a splashdown approximately three hours after launch. This achievement marks a significant step from testing to a functional vehicle for large payload delivery, according to an astrophysics professor.

SpaceX's Starship rocket successfully reached orbit for the first time on Monday morning. The uncrewed, 40-story-tall vehicle launched from SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas at 7:49 am local time. Despite an engine failure during ascent that briefly put the mission at risk, Starship proceeded on its planned test flight, which could last up to 10 hours. The rocket was carrying 26 upgraded Starlink satellites intended for deployment in orbit. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the Starship program.