Watch Starship separating from Super Heavy booster on its first orbital flight

Starship's Ship 41 separated from Super Heavy Booster 21 during Flight 14, which launched from Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas, on September 28, 2026. Ship 41's Raptor engines ignited during hot-staging separation, about 2 minutes 34 seconds after liftoff. Booster 21 then boosted back toward its splashdown site in the Gulf of America, while the ship continued to orbit. The separation was a key step in Starship's first flight designed to reach Earth orbit. Video Credit: SpaceX