29 September : SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket reached orbit for the first time during its 14th test flight, but the vehicle crashed into the Pacific Ocean after an engine malfunction during the final stage of the mission.
The test flight was conducted on Monday, 28 September, according to a Reuters report.
Starship was launched from SpaceX’s Starbase complex near Brownsville, Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico. Its primary objective was to deploy a new generation of Starlink satellites into orbit.
An engine shut down shortly after liftoff, creating a technical problem, but the rocket subsequently reached an altitude of around 269 kilometres with the help of its remaining engines. It then successfully deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites into their designated orbit.
SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said on social media platform X that all 26 Starlink V3 commercial satellites had been deployed into their target orbit and were operating normally. The mission marked the first commercial or revenue-generating flight in Starship’s history.
Dean Sladen, quality manager at Aku Parts Components, described the achievement as a major success.
During the final stage of the mission, Starship prepared for a controlled landing in the Pacific Ocean. Although the vehicle was successfully brought into an upright position through a thruster-powered manoeuvre, a large explosion occurred after it touched the ocean surface, setting the rocket on fire.
SpaceX had not planned to recover or reuse the vehicle from the ocean.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated SpaceX for conducting the mission in a safe and responsible manner.
Following the commercially significant launch, SpaceX’s share price fell by around 2%, according to the report. The company currently has a market valuation of approximately $2 trillion.
The new V3-generation Starlink satellites are capable of processing nearly 10 times more data than previous versions. SpaceX has spent more than $15 billion on the technology development programme since 2023.
Source: Reuters