SpaceX successfully completed the first operational mission of the Starship spacecraft. The vehicle launched from the Starbase facility in Texas at 8:48 am ET. Despite losing one of its six engines during ascent, the ship reached orbit approximately 25 minutes after liftoff.
Once in orbit, Starship deployed 26 V3 Starlink satellites using its internal dispensing system. Unlike previous test flights, these satellites are intended to join the operational broadband constellation. SpaceX established contact with the new satellites shortly after deployment.
Looking ahead, SpaceX plans to increase the capacity of future Starship flights to accommodate up to 60 V3 Starlink satellites. This mission marks a significant shift from testing to active deployment for the Starship program.
In other industry news, SpinLaunch is spinning off its satellite communications unit into an independent company named Meridian Space. Meridian will focus on satcom infrastructure, while SpinLaunch continues its work on kinetic launch systems and hypersonic applications.
Additionally, Iridium shareholders have approved the company's acquisition by Rocket Lab. Rocket Lab management indicated that further mergers and acquisitions are expected as the market continues to experience high demand for launch capacity.
