SpaceX has scheduled the 14th test flight of its massive Starship rocket for September 22, aiming to successfully place the upper stage into Earth’s orbit for the very first time. During the upcoming mission, the company plans to deploy 26 third-generation Starlink satellites, marking a significant milestone where a Starship test will officially generate revenue.
Achieving a stable orbit represents a crucial step forward as SpaceX works toward retiring its aging Falcon rocket fleet. While engineers have implemented several hardware and software adjustments to resolve past booster glitches, the company will play it safe by skipping recovery attempts for both the booster and the upper stage during this specific flight.
- Test flight scheduled for September 22 to reach Earth’s orbit
- First attempt to deploy 26 third-generation Starlink satellites via Starship
- Hardware and software upgrades implemented following previous booster issues
- No recovery attempts planned for the booster or upper stage to ensure safety
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