SpaceX’s Starship rocket reaches orbit for the first time

SpaceX’s Starship V3 rocket launched from South Texas, lost one Raptor engine after upper-stage separation, but continued and reached orbit, deploying 26 third-generation Starlink satellites. Roughly 1.5 hours into flight, the upper stage was de-orbited and safely landed in the Pacific, ending the nine-hour planned orbit. The mission demonstrated Starship’s potential for reusable commercial launches and expanded the Starlink constellation.