SpaceX targets first Starship orbital test on September 22

SpaceX says it is aiming for its first Starship orbital test as early as September 22, with the company expecting the mission to reach orbit for the first time and deploy Starlink V3 satellites. The 14th Starship flight would follow July’s test, which used a suborbital trajectory—sending the spacecraft into space but without completing an orbit. Pending regulatory approval, the attempt is expected to last nearly 10 hours, with Starship flying about 275 km above Earth and completing roughly six orbits before splashdown in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile. The plan will test booster launch, separation, boostback and splashdown procedures to advance a fully reusable system.