SpaceX’s Starship reaches orbit for first time, completes shortened flight
publishers 81articles 89first reported 28 Sep, 04:01 UTCdeveloping since 28 Sep · 3 editionstop 25 #7
SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time Monday, deployed 26 Starlink satellites and returned to Earth after a flight lasting about three hours.
The 407-foot (124-meter) rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase site in Texas. One engine shut down prematurely during the ascent, but the spacecraft entered its intended orbit at an altitude of about 170 miles (275 kilometers), traveling roughly 17,500 mph (28,000 kph).
SpaceX had planned for Starship to circle Earth six times during a nearly 10-hour mission before splashing down in the Pacific near Chile. About an hour after liftoff, however, the company said it would bring the spacecraft back early. No reason was immediately provided for shortening the flight. Starship instead completed a couple of laps and splashed down north of Hawaii, while the first-stage booster dropped into the Gulf of Mexico as planned.
During the mission, Starship released 26 Starlink V3 satellites one at a time. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk later said all 26 were operating normally.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated SpaceX for reaching orbit and for “managing every step in a safe, responsible and especially inspirational way.” Starship is intended to support NASA’s Artemis lunar program and was designed to be fully reusable.
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