SpaceX Targets September 22 for Starship’s First Orbital Attempt

SpaceX is preparing the 14th test flight of Starship, with the launch scheduled for September 22. The 75-minute launch window opens at 7:15 a.m. CT, according to the article. The key objective is to put Starship’s upper stage into Earth orbit for the first time.

SpaceX also plans to deploy the first batch of third-generation Starlink satellites during the test. The article says the company expects to launch 26 V3 satellites into orbit as part of a network described as 10,000 internet satellites. If successful, TechCrunch notes this would be the first Starship launch to generate revenue for SpaceX’s launch division, even if that revenue comes from another part of the company.

Reaching orbit would be a major milestone for a program SpaceX has spent billions of dollars developing. The article says SpaceX is looking to retire Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy in favor of Starship once Starship is flying reliably several times per week. The broader challenge is proving Starship can reach orbit, return to Earth, and be quickly reused.

The flight will test only part of the reusability equation. Elon Musk has walked back earlier claims that SpaceX might try to catch the Starship upper stage with its launch tower during this flight. SpaceX also will not try to catch the Super Heavy booster, and the company says it has made hardware and software modifications after issues on the previous flight.

TechCrunch reports that Starship’s upper stage had a smoother Flight 13 than the booster, including a simulated landing in the Indian Ocean. The recovered upper stage gave SpaceX material to study after it was slowly towed back to Texas headquarters. SpaceX says it has made additional heat-shield changes based on what it learned from that vehicle.