SpaceX launches Starship rocket as it aims to orbit around Earth for first time
- On Monday, SpaceX successfully launched Starship from South Texas into orbit for the first time, deploying 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites at roughly 269 km altitude before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after three hours of flight.
- SpaceX's decade-long development campaign has cost Elon Musk's company more than $15 billion, with this 14th flight serving as a critical test for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon's surface for the first time in more than 50 years.
- An engine issue forced engineers to reduce the planned 10-hour mission to three hours, yet the spacecraft successfully reached orbit and executed a controlled flip for atmospheric re-entry before impacting the Pacific with a dramatic fireball.
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the "gorgeous launch," saying the spacecraft's deployment of 26 V3 Starlink satellites—capable of handling 10 times more data than predecessors—represents hundreds of millions in projected revenue for SpaceX's Starlink unit.
- Musk wrote on Sunday that "Starship is 2 to 3 years away from hourly flights," while NASA anticipates the vehicle will play a critical role in the Artemis IV mission by early 2028, positioning routine orbital operations as the next milestone.
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A Starship rocket was launched successfully into orbit for the first time, where it deployed several satellites. It was planned that the giant rocket would orbit the Earth six times - but there were technical problems.
Oleg Tsarev: Spectacular: Elon Musk's Starship entered Earth orbit for the first time, and there was some drama: one of the ship's six engines failed during ascent. And even the option of drowning Starship in Indian was discussed..
Spectacular: Elon Musk's Starship entered Earth's orbit for the first timeThere was some drama: during the ascent, one of the ship's six engines failed. And even the option of sinking Starship in the Indian Ocean was discussed. But he still made it to...
Elon Musk's giant rocket will take off from the Texan space station as planned and will take off into orbit. Six orbits are planned, but SpaceX will cancel the mission prematurely. A controlled fall into the Pacific is to follow.
The giant rocket also launched 26 new Starlink V3 satellites into orbit.
The success represents a significant milestone for Elon Musk's company.
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