LIFTOFF! Watch SpaceX Starship’s first orbital launch, booster splashdown

SpaceX launched Starship Flight 14 from Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas, at 7:48 a.m. CDT on September 28, 2026, sending the vehicle on its first orbital flight after 13 suborbital missions. During ascent, Super Heavy Booster 21 suffered an early engine shutdown, while Ship 41 later lost one of its six Raptor engines. Despite the engine issues, Ship 41 continued on its orbital trajectory and, about 25 minutes into the flight, reached orbit at an altitude of approximately 170 miles for the first time in Starship's history. Booster 21 successfully completed stage separation and its boostback and landing sequence before splashing down with an explosion in the Gulf of America. Ship 41 later successfully deployed all 26 Starlink V3 satellites over approximately 30 minutes, with SpaceX confirming contact with all 26 satellites. Three of the satellites also carried cameras to capture imagery of Starship's heat shield while in space. Video Credit: SpaceX