SpaceX Schedules First Starship Orbital Insertion Test for September 22
· Technology · TechCrunch, MarketWatch, Reuters
SpaceX announced it will attempt to place a Starship upper stage into Earth's orbit for the first time during its 14th test flight scheduled for September 22. The 75-minute launch window opens at 7:15 a.m. CT, with the mission carrying the first batch of 26 third-generation Starlink V3 satellites. This test marks the second Starship flight since SpaceX went public through a major IPO in June and could generate the launch division's first internal revenue if successful. Founder and CEO Elon Musk stated that the company will not attempt to catch either the Starship upper stage or the Super Heavy booster during this flight to avoid major developmental setbacks. SpaceX has implemented multiple hardware and software modifications to the Super Heavy booster following re-ignition struggles during Flight 13 in July.
Why it matters
Achieving reliable orbital insertion for Starship is a critical milestone for SpaceX as the company transitions its payload capacity away from older rocket fleets.
Read the original report — TechCrunch
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