LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29 (World Daily Times) — SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time and deployed 26 Starlink satellites on Sept. 28, 2026. Those milestones came despite an engine shutting down early. The test ended after about three hours, rather than the roughly 10 hours planned.
What happened during the flight?
Starship lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas on its 14th integrated test flight. After the Super Heavy booster separated, an engine on the Starship spacecraft shut down prematurely, according to SpaceX. Flight controllers assessed the vehicle, then authorized an engine burn to put it into orbit.
Once in orbit, Starship released 26 Starlink V3 satellites for SpaceX’s satellite internet network. SpaceX said it established contact with the satellites through laser links, ground stations and user terminals. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said all 26 were operating normally. That is an initial status report, not a final account of their performance: SpaceX said the satellites still needed orbital checkouts and would raise their orbits before serving customers.
Why did the mission end early?
SpaceX said it chose an early return out of caution after the engine issue. Instead of continuing the planned roughly 10-hour flight, Starship reentered the atmosphere and splashed down in the northern Pacific Ocean about three hours after launch.
What does the result establish?
The flight showed that Starship could reach orbit and deploy a Starlink payload despite losing an engine during ascent. It did not complete the full planned mission. SpaceX has not established in the accounts available what caused the engine to shut down, and the satellites’ final orbits and checkout results remain unconfirmed. Those limits matter when judging what this test says about Starship’s readiness for future missions, including work connected to NASA’s Artemis moon program.
