SpaceX’s Starship reaches orbit for the first time

SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time on Monday during its 14th test flight, despite one of its engines shutting down early during the ascent. The spacecraft then deployed 26 next-generation Starlink satellites, marking the first orbital deployment of the new satellites. SpaceX had planned a flight lasting around 10 hours, but controllers cut the mission short after about three hours.

Starship later re-entered over the Pacific and splashed down north of Hawaii. The flight provided SpaceX with another test of the giant spacecraft as the company works towards future missions.