Signal Starship Reaches Orbit for the First Time, Deploys 26 Starlink V3 Satellites Despite Engine Loss

Summary

SpaceX launched its Starship-Super Heavy v3 booster on its 14th test flight from Starbase, Texas, at 7:48 a.m. CDT on September 28, 2026. The vehicle reached orbit for the first time in the Starship program's history, a milestone SpaceX had been pursuing across more than a dozen prior flights. After reaching orbit, Starship deployed 26 new-generation, high-capacity Starlink V3 satellites, and SpaceX confirmed contact with all 26 spacecraft. The mission was not flawless: one of the upper-stage "Ship" engines was lost during ascent, putting the orbital and deployment objectives in doubt for part of the flight. Following deployment, Starship was planned to circle Earth roughly six times before a controlled reentry and splashdown off the western coast of South America about nine hours after liftoff. The flight marks a turning point for Starlink's next-generation satellite rollout, which SpaceX says will significantly expand network capacity and user speeds.