SpaceX's next Starship launch will lift off on Sept. 22 and aim to reach orbit for 1st time
Space • • business
Key Points:
- SpaceX has scheduled the first orbital flight of its fully reusable Starship megarocket for September 22, launching from Starbase in South Texas during an 75-minute window starting at 8:15 a.m. EDT.
- This 14th Starship flight marks a milestone as the first orbital attempt, carrying up to 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites designed to enhance global broadband speeds and reliability.
- The mission includes a six-orbit journey around Earth at about 171 miles altitude, followed by a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile approximately 10 hours after launch.
- The Starship booster, Super Heavy, is expected to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico about seven minutes after liftoff, continuing previous recovery practices without the use of the launch tower's "chopstick" arms for this flight.
- Three Starlink satellites onboard will capture images of Starship’s heat shield during reentry to help SpaceX study and improve its protective capabilities for future missions.
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