SpaceX is set to conduct the 14th test flight of its Starship mega-rocket, with plans to attempt putting the upper stage into Earth’s orbit for the first time. The test launch is scheduled for September 22, with a 75-minute launch window opening at 7:15 a.m. CT.
Test Launch Details
During this test launch, SpaceX aims to deploy the first batch of third-generation Starlinks into its network of 10,000 internet satellites. The company expects to launch 26 V3 satellites into orbit during this flight. If successful, this will mark the first Starship launch to generate revenue for SpaceX’s launch division, even if that revenue comes from another division of the company.
Recent Developments
This will be the second Starship test launch since SpaceX became a publicly traded company in June, following the largest IPO in history. The first test flight occurred in July, where SpaceX successfully deployed V3 Starlink satellites for the first time. However, those satellites were only meant to test Starship’s deployment capability and burned up in Earth’s atmosphere after approximately 20 minutes.
Getting Starship’s upper stage into orbit would represent a significant milestone for SpaceX, which has invested billions into the program. The company is looking to retire its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets in favor of Starship. Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, has stated that this transition will occur once Starship is flying "reliably several times per week" to conserve "scarce SpaceX engineering and production resources."
