Starship Flight 14 made history on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, when SpaceX’s giant rocket reached orbit for the first time after lifting off from Starbase, Texas, and released 26 next-generation Starlink satellites, according to Space.com. SpaceX then cut the flight short, and the upper stage splashed down in the northern Pacific Ocean about three hours after liftoff.
Key facts
- Liftoff came at about 8:48 a.m. EDT Monday from Starbase in South Texas (Space.com).
- Starship reached a stable orbit at an altitude of about 276 kilometers, or 171 miles (Ars Technica).
- It deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites; SpaceX said it made contact with all of them (Ars Technica).
- The planned flight of nearly 10 hours was cut to a splashdown 3 hours 8 minutes after liftoff (Space.com).
- One of the six engines on the upper stage shut down early during ascent (Space.com, Ars Technica).
- The FAA said it will not require a formal mishap investigation, per an agency spokesperson quoted by Ars Technica.
Starship Flight 14: What Happened Minute by Minute
According to Space.com, the Super Heavy booster made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico about seven minutes after liftoff. About 25 minutes into the flight, the upper stage fired a single Raptor engine briefly to enter orbit. “Starship is orbital,” mission control said, per Space.com. Ars Technica reported the burn lasted 19 seconds and added roughly 204 mph to the vehicle’s speed.
Space.com reported the satellite deployment began at about 34 minutes after liftoff and ran over roughly 30 minutes. The ship began reentry about two hours and 40 minutes after launch and splashed down at 3 hours 8 minutes, then toppled over and exploded on hitting the water. Ars Technica said SpaceX anticipates most of Starship’s water landings to end that way.
Did Starship Almost Skip Orbit? The Engine Scare
Space.com reported that one of the upper stage’s six engines went out during ascent, and SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot announced the orbital attempt was called off, only to reverse course as controllers decided to press ahead. Ars Technica said the engine that failed was not the one needed for the orbit-insertion and deorbit burns, and that two of the 33 engines on the Super Heavy booster also appeared to fail, one at launch and one during the return maneuvers.
“We were only going to go if we were very confident in the core systems that have to work to get you out of orbit once you’re up there,” Huot said, according to Ars Technica.
What Are Starlink V3 Satellites?
Ars Technica reported the Starlink V3 satellites weigh about 2 metric tons each and are too large for the Falcon 9 rocket. According to SpaceX figures cited by the outlet, each can add 1 Tbps of capacity, ten times that of older satellites launched on Falcon 9. The Associated Press, via CBC, said the new satellites join about 11,000 older models already providing internet service.
Ars Technica quoted Caleb Henry of Quilty Space saying it will take a meaningful number of V3 satellites before customers notice a difference: “until there is a meaningful number of V3 satellites launched, they won’t be the spacecraft that defines the user experience just yet.”
Why Was the Starship Flight Cut Short?
The AP reported SpaceX had aimed for a roughly 10-hour, six-lap flight but ended it early, with no reason given at the time. Ars Technica later quoted a SpaceX recap: “Out of an abundance of caution given the engine issue experienced during ascent, the flight control team decided to limit the duration spent on orbit.” For background on the pre-launch plan, see our preview of Starship Flight 14.
What Happens Next for Starship and Artemis?
Ars Technica said an FAA schedule suggested the next Starship flight could come in October, though SpaceX has announced no date. Space.com noted SpaceX has caught the booster with the launch tower’s arms on three test flights but has not yet tried it with the ship, and has not demonstrated in-orbit refueling, which lunar missions would require. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated SpaceX, per the AP.
Space.com said the plan calls for Starship to fly on Artemis III to low Earth orbit in mid-2027, with a Moon landing on Artemis IV, though NASA also picked Blue Origin for crewed landers. Starlink’s growing role is also visible in security coverage; see our report on the Poland probe of a Starlink hub fire.
FAQ
Did Starship reach orbit? Yes. Space.com, the AP and Ars Technica all reported Flight 14 reached orbit, a first for Starship.
How long did Starship Flight 14 last? About 3 hours 8 minutes from liftoff to splashdown, versus a plan of nearly 10 hours, according to Space.com.
Was anyone hurt or was there a mishap investigation? The FAA told Ars Technica that all events fell within planned and authorized activities and it will not require a formal mishap investigation.