SpaceX Starship reaches orbit and begins deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites

  • SpaceX used Starship Flight 14 to begin its first commercial satellite deployment.
  • 26 Starlink V3 satellites were scheduled for release during the nearly 10-hour mission.
  • Starship reached orbit after an initial report said an engine failure prevented deployment.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) is making Starship central to its commercial strategy as it seeks lower launch costs, a larger Starlink network and future orbital computing infrastructure. Starship Flight 14 was intended to become the rocket system’s first orbital mission and first revenue-generating commercial launch, carrying 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites into low Earth orbit on a nearly 10-hour flight. Live updates initially reported an in-space engine failure and a decision not to enter orbit or deploy the satellites, but SpaceX later attempted orbit, reached it for the first time and began releasing the payload. Starlink V3 offers 10 times the bandwidth capacity of V2 satellites. SpaceX plans controlled ocean landings for the mission rather than a launch-tower booster catch. The company also sees Starship supporting orbital data centers, while eventually replacing its Falcon rocket fleet. SPCX traded up 1.32% at $150.65 on Monday, even as the Nasdaq fell 0.58% and the S&P 500 declined 0.47%.

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