SpaceX Starship reaches orbit for the first time on Flight 14

Updated 2026-09-28.

SpaceX's Starship reached orbit for the first time this morning. Flight 14 lifted off from Starbase, Texas at 8:50 a.m. ET on September 28, deployed all 26 of its Starlink V3 satellites, and splashed down in the Pacific north of Hawaii just before noon ET, according to ABC News. It came 18 years to the day after Falcon 1 first reached orbit.

What happened on Starship Flight 14?

• Liftoff: 8:50 a.m. ET from Pad 2 at Starbase, a few minutes into a window that opened at 8:15.
• Booster: Super Heavy B21 flew its boostback and landing burns and splashed down in the Gulf. No tower catch was planned this time.
• Ship: Starship S41 lost 1 engine on the way up. It wasn't needed to reach orbit, and the ship got there anyway.
• Payload: 26 Starlink V3 satellites, the first V3s in space. All 26 checked in over laser links, ground stations and user terminals.
• Return: Starship relit a single Raptor for its first deorbit burn, came back through the atmosphere and hit its splashdown point.

The plan called for about 6 orbits and just under 10 hours, per Spaceflight Now's preview. SpaceX brought the ship home at its first scheduled checkpoint, about 3 hours in, with both main goals already done: orbit, and working satellites.

Why reaching orbit matters

Getting to orbit is the step every future Starship job depends on. Starlink V3 is the first of them. SpaceX says a single Starship can carry up to 60 V3 satellites, far more than any rocket it flies today, and Flight 14 proved the ship can deliver them. NPR and CNBC both called it the program's biggest milestone yet.

It's also the first big Starship moment since SpaceX went public in June, so a lot of Tesla owners watched this one as shareholders.

What's next for Starship?

Flight 15. SpaceX has said it may try to catch the ship itself with the tower on that flight, the same trick it already pulls off with the booster.

Put a launch on your Tesla

If this morning has you in a space mood, the community gallery already has a few: Starship Ascent and Event Horizon Nebula for the Cybertruck, and a rocket-launch wrap for the new Model Y. Each downloads free as a Paint Shop PNG. Upload it in the Tesla app under Creations > Wrap > Upload, or find it on the car at Toybox > Paint Shop > Wraps. More Cybertruck starting points are in our Cybertruck wrap ideas guide.

FAQ

Did Starship reach orbit on Flight 14? Yes. On September 28, 2026, Flight 14 became the first Starship to reach orbit, then deorbited and splashed down north of Hawaii.

How many Starlink satellites did Flight 14 deploy? 26 Starlink V3 satellites, the first V3s launched. SpaceX made contact with all of them.

Where did Starship and the booster land? The ship splashed down in the Pacific north of Hawaii. The Super Heavy booster splashed down in the Gulf after its landing burn.

What is the next Starship flight? Flight 15, where SpaceX may attempt to catch the ship with the launch tower.

Want your own launch-day wrap? Describe it in the studio and see it on your car in 3D.