SpaceX Starship reaches orbit for first time

SpaceX’s Starship megarocket reached orbit for the first time on Monday, marking a major milestone in the company’s ambitious plans for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

The 120-metre-tall rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s launch facility in Starbase, Texas, on its 14th test flight. The mission is designed to test the vehicle’s capabilities and deploy a new batch of Starlink satellites.

The upper stage separated from the Super Heavy booster and reached orbit around 26 minutes after liftoff. The spacecraft was initially placed on a suborbital path before engineers carried out a second engine burn to achieve orbit.

The mission team confirmed that Starship had successfully reached orbit as cheers erupted at the launch site. The spacecraft subsequently began deploying 26 next-generation Starlink satellites.

The test flight is expected to last around 10 hours, with Starship scheduled to circle Earth several times before ending its journey in the Pacific Ocean. The Super Heavy booster returned toward the Gulf of Mexico shortly after launch.

Earlier Starship tests had used less demanding suborbital trajectories, with several ending in explosions. The latest mission represents a significant step in SpaceX’s effort to develop a fully reusable launch system.

The company eventually hopes to use Starship for commercial missions, satellite deployment and in-orbit refuelling. SpaceX also aims to use the vehicle for future lunar missions and, ultimately, human exploration of Mars.

The rocket’s development has faced technical challenges and delays. Engineers still need to demonstrate several complex capabilities before Starship can begin regular commercial operations.

The latest flight also forms part of a busy period for SpaceX, with several other launches planned during the same week, including a mission carrying astronauts to the International Space Station.