SpaceX to Attempt First Starship Orbital Flight With V3 Starlink Deployment

SpaceX is preparing for the 14th test flight of its Starship mega-rocket, planning to attempt the vehicle’s first orbital flight and deploy third-generation Starlink satellites during the mission.

The launch is scheduled for Sept. 22, with a 75-minute launch window opening at 7:15 a.m. CT. SpaceX said the mission will attempt to place 26 V3 Starlink satellites into orbit as part of the company’s expanding satellite network.

The company has published mission details for Starship Flight 14, which will test several key systems needed for future operational missions.

Starship moves toward orbital operations.

If successful, Flight 14 would mark the first Starship mission to generate launch revenue for SpaceX’s launch business, even though the customer would come from another division of the company through Starlink.

Reaching orbit would represent an important milestone for SpaceX’s long-term plans to replace its existing Falcon rocket fleet with Starship. CEO Elon Musk has said the company wants Starship to eventually fly frequently enough to reduce pressure on engineering and production resources.

SpaceX has invested billions of dollars into Starship and is working toward a fully reusable system capable of reaching orbit, returning to Earth and flying again quickly.

Flight 14 will focus on testing, not full recovery

The upcoming mission will not include an attempt to catch the Starship upper stage with the launch tower. Musk recently said such a test would create too much risk at this stage of development.

SpaceX also will not attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster during this flight. The company said it has made several hardware and software changes to address issues identified during the previous mission, including problems with engine relighting after stage separation.

SpaceX prepares Starship for future launches

During Flight 13, the Starship upper stage completed a successful simulated landing approach over the Indian Ocean, although it did not reach orbit. SpaceX recovered the vehicle after it fell into the ocean and used mission data to make further improvements.

The company said it has made additional changes to Starship’s heat shield based on analysis of the recovered upper stage.

SpaceX is also preparing to transition away from Falcon rockets once Starship becomes operational. Reports have highlighted SpaceX’s plan to eventually retire Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy operations as Starship reaches reliable flight capability.

The 14th test flight will further test Starship’s ability to support SpaceX’s plans for high-frequency orbital launches and expanded satellite deployment.