SpaceX Starship Flight 14 Reaches Orbit for the First Time and Deploys 26 Starlink V3 Satellites

By Anamika Dey, editor | September 28, 2026 | Updated

SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time on Monday. After lifting off from Starbase, Texas, at about 7:48 a.m. CT (8:48 a.m. ET), according to NPR, the ship fired a single engine roughly 25 minutes into the flight to enter orbit, then released all 26 of its Starlink V3 satellites, Space.com reports.

It wasn’t a perfectly smooth flight. One of Ship 41’s six engines shut down early on the way up, the booster had engine trouble on its way back, and SpaceX decided to end the flight early, using a checkpoint the mission plan allowed for. The ship reached orbit, deployed all 26 satellites and splashed down in the northern Pacific about three hours and nine minutes after liftoff, per Space.com.

This follows our earlier Starship Flight 14 coverage, which explained why the launch slipped to September 28. Here’s what happened, what SpaceX was aiming for, and what still isn’t confirmed.

What Happened During Starship Flight 14?

Here’s the flight so far, based on SpaceX’s webcast as reported by NPR, Space.com, CNN and ABC News. Times are approximate.

What Was Starship Supposed to Accomplish?

Flight 14 was billed as Starship’s first real job, not just another test. SpaceX’s mission plan lists the ship’s main goals as its first orbital insertion burn, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites, a deorbit burn with a single Raptor engine, and a controlled reentry and splashdown in the Pacific. For the booster, the goal was a clean launch, separation, boostback and landing burn at an offshore spot in the Gulf.

One detail matters here. SpaceX said the ship would only make the orbital burn after controllers confirmed enough hardware redundancy for the deorbit burn later. That’s why the early engine shutdown was a big deal: Space.com says SpaceX decided to go ahead with the burn only after assessing the problem.

The satellites matter too. A SpaceX engineer said on the webcast that the V3 design offers roughly ten times the downlink capacity and 22 times the uplink capacity of the version 2 satellite, per CNN. Three of the 26 carry cameras pointed back at the ship’s heat tiles, according to Space.com. Next Spaceflight’s mission page says the satellites should start serving customers as soon as a few weeks after launch.

How Flight 14 Compares With Flight 13

Did Starship Complete Its Mission?

Mostly. Ship 41 hit its main goals, but the flight ended about seven hours earlier than planned. Here’s where things stand.

Confirmed so far

• Liftoff at about 7:48 a.m. CT (NPR)
• Ship 41 reached orbit (NPR, Space.com)
• All 26 Starlink V3 satellites were released (Space.com), and SpaceX says it has made contact with each of them (CNN)
• The booster splashed down in the Gulf (CNN)
• Ship 41 splashed down in the northern Pacific at about 11:58 a.m. EDT (Space.com)

Still open

• The engine issue: SpaceX technicians are assessing it (Space.com), and no cause has been given.
• The early return: a SpaceX spokesperson said the team would take its first checkpoint and come back early (CNN). We haven’t seen SpaceX explain why.

Ship 41 reached orbit, deployed all 26 satellites and splashed down, but it flew about three hours instead of the planned ten and skipped the six planned orbits. That makes this a completed orbital launch and deployment on a shortened flight, and SpaceX hasn’t said why it ended early.

What Happens Next for SpaceX?

The splashdown is done, so the next questions are what SpaceX learned from the ship’s first orbital reentry and what it found behind the engine shutdown. Then there are the satellites, which are meant to unfold their antennas and solar arrays, then raise their own orbits, per Next Spaceflight.

The business side matters too. ABC News describes Starlink as SpaceX’s primary revenue generator, so a Starship that can launch these satellites in bulk is important to the company. CNN adds that SpaceX is under pressure to have Starship ready for a NASA test flight next year, which could pave the way for the next Moon landing.

If you want background on the company’s public listing, see our SpaceX IPO explainer. This article isn’t about the stock. No date for Flight 15 has been announced in the reports we reviewed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Starship reach orbit on Flight 14?

Yes. Mission control confirmed Starship was orbital after Ship 41’s engine burn about 25 minutes into the flight, per Space.com. It’s the first time Starship has entered orbit. Earlier flights were suborbital.

Why did SpaceX end the flight early?

SpaceX says it was a precaution. Its own flight summary says the flight team limited the time on orbit after one engine shut down during ascent, and Space.com reports the call came at Ship’s first orbital checkpoint. SpaceX hasn’t yet explained what caused the shutdown itself.

What are Starlink V3 satellites?

They’re the next generation of SpaceX’s internet satellites. SpaceX says they offer roughly ten times the downlink and 22 times the uplink capacity of version 2 satellites, per CNN. Flight 14 launched the first 26 operational ones.

Your Turn

Did you watch Flight 14 live? Which moment stood out most: the orbital burn, the satellite deployment or the booster splashdown? Tell us in the comments.

Sources

• SpaceX: Starship Flight 14
• NPR: SpaceX’s Starship launches on first orbital mission from Texas
• Space.com: Starship Flight 14 live updates
• Space.com: SpaceX launches Starship into orbit for the first time
• CNN: Live updates on SpaceX’s Starship first orbital test flight
• ABC News: SpaceX launches Starship’s first orbital flight test
• Next Spaceflight: Starship Flight 14 mission page

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