SpaceX Starship Prepares for First Attempt to Enter Earth Orbit

SpaceX is preparing to launch the 14th test flight of its Starship rocket, with the mission marking the vehicle's first planned attempt to enter Earth orbit.

The launch is scheduled for Monday, September 28, from Starbase in Texas, with the window opening at 7:15 a.m. local time, or 12:15 GMT. The mission is expected to last nearly 10 hours if all major objectives are completed.

The flight represents a major step in SpaceX's development of Starship, a fully reusable launch system being designed for future missions to the Moon, Mars and other destinations.

First Attempt at Orbital Flight

Previous Starship test flights were designed around suborbital trajectories, allowing the company to test the vehicle while limiting some of the risks associated with attempting orbital insertion.

Flight 14 is planned to go further.

The Starship upper stage is expected to attempt an orbital insertion and reach an altitude of approximately 275 kilometres above Earth. The spacecraft is then planned to complete about six orbits before beginning a controlled return to Earth, with splashdown targeted in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile.

Reaching orbit will require Starship to achieve speeds of roughly 28,000 kilometres per hour, while managing the changing forces and conditions encountered during ascent.

26 Starlink Satellites on Board

One of the mission's major objectives is the deployment of 26 Starlink V3 satellites.

If successfully deployed, the satellites will become the first operational payload placed into orbit by Starship. The new-generation satellites are designed to significantly increase the capacity and performance of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet network.

The satellites will initially be deployed into low Earth orbit before using their onboard propulsion systems to raise their operational orbits.

The mission also includes a planned in-space deorbit burn and a controlled re-entry of the Starship upper stage.

Super Heavy Booster to Splash Down

The massive Super Heavy first-stage booster will separate from Starship during the ascent.

For this flight, SpaceX does not plan to attempt a tower catch of the booster. Instead, the booster is expected to perform its flight and landing sequence before splashing down at an offshore location in the Gulf of Mexico.

The booster has undergone hardware and software modifications following issues encountered during previous testing.

A Major Test for Starship

Starship is approximately 124.4 metres tall and nine metres in diameter, making it one of the largest launch vehicles ever developed. Its two-stage architecture consists of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft.

SpaceX has made extensive changes to both vehicles as it works toward its goal of creating a rapidly reusable launch system.

The company has also been testing improvements to Starship's heat shield, propulsion systems and flight-control technology.

What Comes Next

A successful orbital test would provide SpaceX with important data for the next phase of Starship development, including future missions involving more complex operations such as in-space propellant transfer.

The vehicle is ultimately intended to support NASA's Artemis lunar programme and SpaceX's longer-term plans for human missions to Mars.

However, Monday's mission remains a test flight, and SpaceX has emphasised learning from each flight as it develops the vehicle.

Starship Flight 14 is therefore being closely watched by the space industry as the company attempts to move the programme from repeated suborbital testing toward sustained orbital operations.