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[TECHNOLOGY] · United States · 100 sources

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SpaceX Starship achieves first orbital flight and deploys satellites FAST-MOVING

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft achieved its first orbital flight during its 14th test mission, launching from Starbase, Texas. The vehicle successfully reached Earth orbit and deployed 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, marking a significant milestone for both the Starship program and the Starlink constellation.

The mission faced technical challenges when one of the Raptor engines shut down prematurely during the ascent. Following a review of telemetry data, flight controllers decided to proceed with the orbital insertion rather than aborting to a suborbital trajectory. However, due to the engine malfunction, the mission was shortened from a planned 10-hour duration to approximately three hours. The Starship upper stage performed a controlled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, north of Hawaii, while the Super Heavy booster landed in the Gulf of Mexico.

The newly deployed Starlink V3 satellites offer significantly higher capacity than previous generations, with a 10-fold increase in downlink capability. This successful integration of orbital capability and commercial payload delivery represents a major step toward SpaceX’s long-term goals of lunar and Martian exploration.

Entities

Elon Musk · NASA · SpaceX · Starbase · Starlink · Starship · Texas

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