On 28 September, SpaceX’s Starship reached Earth orbit for the first time during its 14th test flight from Starbase in Texas. It deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites, but following the premature shutdown of one of its engines, the mission was concluded earlier than planned with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Briefly about the main points
- Starship completed its first flight into Earth orbit.
- The spacecraft delivered the first operational orbital payload.
- The engineers changed their decision regarding the flight path following an engine problem.
- The mission lasted about three hours instead of nearly ten.
- The reason for the engine shutting down prematurely has not been publicly disclosed.
The team changed their plans following an engine failure
During the flight, one of the engines Starship switched off prematurely. A spokesperson SpaceX Dan Hewott During the broadcast, he initially stated that the spacecraft would not be sent into orbit.
Within a few minutes, the engineers had reviewed their assessment: it was still possible to fire the engine as required. The team then continued with the orbital phase of the mission, and the spacecraft successfully carried out the manoeuvre.
The payload was deployed in orbit
Starship has successfully launched all the Starlink V3 satellites. Elon Musk stated that, once deployed, the devices were operating as normal.
This is the first delivery of an orbital payload using Starship. SpaceX has previously explained that its third-generation satellites are intended to increase network capacity and internet access speeds for users.
The flight ended with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean
Instead of nearly ten hours, the mission lasted around three. Upon re-entry into the atmosphere, Starship rotated into a vertical position before making contact with the water and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
The lower part of the spacecraft was engulfed in flames during splashdown, after which the craft capsized and an explosion occurred. SpaceX had not planned to recover the spacecraft from the ocean. The company has not provided a public explanation for why the engine shut down.
From suborbital tests to cargo operations
The previous test flight in July followed a suborbital trajectory: the spacecraft entered space but did not complete an orbit around the Earth. The current mission marked the next stage of testing, combining an orbital manoeuvre with the deployment of operational payloads.
SpaceX regards orbital flights as the basis for developing a fully and rapidly reusable system. However, development is not yet complete: the company has cited the return and recovery of the upper stage and the orbital transfer of fuel between spacecraft as among its next milestones.
