SpaceX Starship reaches orbit after engine loss and delayed upper stage burn
· Technology · TechCrunch, Times of India, Hindustan Times
SpaceX’s Starship rocket achieved Earth orbit for the first time after launching from South Texas, despite losing one of its six Raptor engines shortly after stage separation. The company initially aborted the orbit attempt but reversed course minutes later, continuing with the mission. The upper stage was planned to orbit Earth six times over nine hours while deploying 26 third-generation Starlink satellites, though it remains unclear if this plan changed due to the delayed orbit insertion. The Super Heavy booster successfully returned to the Gulf Coast and performed a clean simulated landing over water, the best such test for the V3 version of Starship to date.
Why it matters
Reaching orbit validates Starship’s design for future NASA moon missions and commercial satellite deployment, advancing SpaceX’s reusability goals. Successful booster recovery also supports cost reduction through rapid reflight capability, which could lower launch costs for Indian satellite operators.
Read the original report — TechCrunch
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