SpaceX’s Starship reaches orbit and deploys Starlink satellites despite engine failure

Brownsville, United States. SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time on Monday and deployed new Starlink satellites despite an early engine failure. SpaceX cut the planned ten-hour mission to three hours, ending it seven hours early.

First operational mission

The uncrewed, 40-story-tall rocket launched from SpaceX’s Starbase complex on the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas. It was Starship’s 14th flight since 2023, as Elon Musk’s company plans to put the vehicle into routine use later this year.

Unlike previous Starship flights, the mission was both a high-stakes test of the next-generation rocket and an operational flight carrying millions of dollars’ worth of Starlink satellites. It was Starship’s first revenue-generating mission, although its final design remains under development. The vehicle was designed as the world’s first fully reusable spacecraft.

Engine problems and orbital deployment

The Super Heavy booster carried the Starship upper stage into space before returning to Gulf waters for an engine-controlled splashdown. The booster had made hard landings on two previous missions, and SpaceX said some of its engines stopped working during Monday’s descent.

After Starship reached space, one of its three main engines shut down prematurely. SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot initially said during the company’s live stream that the craft would be unable to reach orbit. “The team has made the call not to commit to orbit,” he said.

Minutes later, Huot said engineers had confirmed that Starship could attempt to fire other onboard engines. The craft successfully reached orbit and deployed 26 next-generation Starlink satellites one by one at an altitude of roughly 269 km (161 miles), marking its first orbital deployments.

Investor focus

SpaceX shares, which were up nearly 9 per cent from the IPO price, fell about 1 per cent on Monday. Starship’s success is central to the company’s market value and continued investor confidence. SpaceX was valued at $2 trillion as of Friday’s close.