SpaceX has scheduled the 14th flight of its Starship rocket for September 22, 2026. The launch window opens at 8:15 AM Eastern Time from the Starbase facility in South Texas. This mission marks the first attempt to reach orbit, as all previous 13 flights were suborbital.
The 124-meter-tall rocket will carry up to 26 Starlink V3 satellites into orbit. This deployment is part of a long-term goal to expand the constellation to 100,000 satellites. Three of the onboard satellites are equipped with cameras to inspect the heat shield of the upper stage, known as Ship, after separation.
During the mission, the 52-meter-tall Ship will complete six orbits at an altitude of approximately 275 km. Ten hours after launch, the vessel is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile. Meanwhile, the Super Heavy booster will follow a standard procedure, landing in the Gulf of Mexico seven minutes after liftoff.
SpaceX will not attempt to catch the booster or the ship using the launch tower arms during this flight. While the company has previously caught the Super Heavy booster three times, the tower capture method for the ship remains a future objective. Future plans also include orbital refueling to support missions to the Moon and Mars.
