After 13 Setbacks, SpaceX's Starship Reaches Orbit for the First Time

【Financial News, New York — Correspondent Lee Byung-chul】 SpaceX's next-generation super-heavy rocket, Starship, has successfully reached Earth's orbit for the first time. This was its 14th attempt since its first test flight in 2023. Although one engine shut down earlier than scheduled, the spacecraft continued its flight and also conducted its first practical test involving the direct deployment of Starlink satellites.
 According to Reuters and other outlets on the 28th local time, Starship was launched from SpaceX's Starbase, located along the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas. The uncrewed Starship stands roughly as tall as a 40-story building. It consists of an upper-stage Starship spacecraft mounted atop a large Super Heavy booster.
The flight was not smooth from the start. One engine shut down earlier than originally planned during the flight. Dan Huot, a SpaceX spokesperson, initially said during the company's livestream that Starship would have difficulty reaching orbit. However, the situation changed just minutes later. After engineers determined that the key engine burn needed to enter orbit was possible, Huot corrected his earlier statement. Starship ultimately reached orbit despite one engine being inoperative.
Starship's orbital flight marks an important milestone for SpaceX. For a rocket designed to carry satellites or cargo into space, achieving a stable orbit is a critical requirement for demonstrating its ability to provide actual transportation services.
Starship had conducted 13 test flights since 2023, but all of them remained suborbital. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had previously predicted that Starship would reach orbit in 2022 and begin deploying satellites in 2023, but the actual development schedule was significantly delayed. SpaceX is also reportedly estimated to have spent more than $15 billion on Starship's development to date. The development period has lasted nearly 10 years.
This flight was more than a simple test of orbital insertion; it was also intended to validate Starship's ability to support actual business operations. For the first time, SpaceX is attempting to use Starship to deploy Starlink satellites on this mission.
Starship was scheduled to orbit Earth six times over approximately 10 hours before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile. If successful, it would set the longest flight record in Starship's history.



[email protected] Lee Byung-chul, correspondent Reporter