SpaceX's Starship reaches orbit for first time, explodes on splashdown
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Neutral summary
On September 28, 2026, Starship completed its first orbital flight, becoming the largest object ever placed in orbit by humanity. The launch took place from the Starbase facility in Texas, and the ship deployed 26 next-generation Starlink satellites. However, an engine failure forced SpaceX to shorten the mission by nearly seven hours: instead of the planned six orbits, the ship completed fewer than two. The splashdown in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii was broadcast live: the ship entered the water in a vertical position, then tipped over and exploded. SpaceX called the explosion a normal situation, stressing that the ship is not designed for landing in cold water, and declared the test successful. Challenges reports that two engines failed, while other sources mention one. TASS, citing Reuters, says the engine issue could create problems for NASA's program to land astronauts on the Moon, targeted for September 2028. Photographer Max Evans captured the launch of Starship against the Sun for the first time, calling it a historic shot.
How it was framed
Outlets: 143. Countries: 32. Facts in the shared core: 5.
Publication timeline
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Numerama (outlet profile)
Une première pour le Starship : voilà ce que la fusée géante de SpaceX va tenter minute par minute. Cette nouvelle mission spatiale marque une étape cruciale dans le développement du Starship : pour la première fois, la…
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G1 (outlet profile)
Starship, nave de futuras missões à Lua, fará 1º voo com voltas completas na Terra nesta segunda; veja o que esperar. Starship, nave da Space, em foto divulgada em 23 de setembro de 2026 Reprodução/SpaceX A SpaceX tenta…
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CNBC (outlet profile)
SpaceX prepares to send Starship rocket to orbit for first time. Elon Musk's SpaceX is poised to launch a historic test flight of its massive Starship rocket early Monday.
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BFMTV (outlet profile)
"Une nouvelle phase palpitante": pensée pour de futurs voyages vers la Lune et Mars, la méga fusée Starship de SpaceX va tenter pour la première fois d'atteindre l'orbite terrestre. L'entreprise d'Elon Musk va réaliser…
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iXBT (outlet profile)
Starship отправляется в исторический полет: впервые корабль должен выйти на орбиту. Трансляция начнётся в 14:38 мск. 14-й испытательный полет Starship запланирован на сегодня со стартовой площадки Pad 2 на космодроме St…
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Clarín (outlet profile)
SpaceX apunta a alcanzar la órbita terrestre con su megacohete Starship. El megacohete de SpaceX busca alcanzar la órbita terrestre en un vuelo crucial para futuras misiones lunares y marcianas, pese a desafíos técnicos…
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Ouest-France (outlet profile)
REPORTAGE « Ils le laissent faire tout ce qu’il veut » : au Texas, la toute-puissance d’Elon Musk et de Space X inquiète. Dans une région pauvre du Texas, Elon Musk, l’homme le plus riche du monde, a créé la Starbase, u…
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O Globo (outlet profile)
SpaceX pretende alcançar órbita da Terra com foguete Starship nesta segunda. Três anos após seu primeiro voo de teste, o foguete Starship de Elon Musk tentará alcançar a órbita da Terra nesta segunda-feira, um marco imp…
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CNews (outlet profile)
SpaceX : pourquoi le lancement de la fusée Starship ce lundi pourrait-il marquer un tournant spatial ?. SpaceX s'apprête à lancer sa quatorzième fusée, la «Starship’s Flight 14», ce lundi 28 septembre. L'entreprise d'El…
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BFMTV (outlet profile)
Starship vise l’orbite terrestre pour son 14e vol d’essai. SpaceX doit réaliser ce lundi le 14e vol d’essai de Starship, avec l’objectif d’atteindre pour la première fois l’orbite terrestre. Le vaisseau pourrait ensuite…
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France 24 (outlet profile)
SpaceX to attempt putting Starship rocket into Earth orbit for first time. Space X on Monday will attempt to launch its Starship rocket from Texas into Earth's orbit in a 10-hour flight which would deploy 26 Starlink sa…
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Le Parisien (outlet profile)
Mégafusée Starship : pourquoi le vol de lundi peut tout changer pour SpaceX et Elon Musk
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Numerama (outlet profile)
Grande première du Starship : suivez en direct le vol orbital de la fusée géante de SpaceX aujourd’hui. Le 14e vol d'essai du Starship, la fusée géante de SpaceX, est attendu à partir du 28 septembre 2026 depuis le Texa…
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www.rbc.ru (outlet profile)
SpaceX впервые запустит Starship с выходом на орбиту. Компания SpaceX планирует в понедельник, 28 сентября, запустить корабль Starship, в случае успеха космический аппарат впервые выйдет на орбиту, сообщили в компа…
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УНИАН (outlet profile)
SpaceX готовится к важнейшему полету Starship: ракету попытаются вывести на орбиту. От успеха этой миссии зависят амбициозные планы компании.
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Phys.org (outlet profile)
SpaceX aims to put Starship in orbit for the first time. Three years after its first test flight, SpaceX's Starship rocket will attempt Monday to enter Earth orbit, a key step in developing the massive launch vehicle fo…
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El Nacional (outlet profile)
SpaceX sueña con llegar a la órbita terrestre con Starship. El cohete despegará este lunes en un intento de la empresa de Elon Musk por avanzar e inaugurar una nueva fase de desarrollo: una vez llegue a su destino, desp…
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Naked Science (outlet profile)
Live: 14-й запуск Starship и первый в его истории выход на орбиту. Американская компания SpaceX сегодня, 28 сентября, планирует выполнить 14-й тестовый запуск транспортной системы Starship. Впервые за историю программы…
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The Independent (outlet profile)
SpaceX Starship launch - live: Elon Musk to launch world’s most powerful rocket into orbit for first ever time. Mission is a huge test for Musk and Nasa’s plans to head to the Moon and onto Mars
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Libération (outlet profile)
La mégafusée Starship d’Elon Musk va tenter d’atteindre l’orbite terrestre pour la première fois. Le voyage est une étape clé dans le développement de ce gigantesque lanceur pensé pour de futurs trajets vers la Lune et…
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Exame (outlet profile)
SpaceX lança Starship nesta segunda-feira, 28; veja horário e detalhes do voo. Voo sem tripulantes será o primeiro da Starship com voltas ao redor da Terra e deverá alcançar cerca de 275 quilômetros de altitude
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Numerama (outlet profile)
Vol 14 du Starship : voilà à quoi devrait ressembler sa toute première trajectoire en orbite. Le prochain vol du Starship approche. SpaceX prévoit de faire voler la fusée géante ce lundi 28 septembre 2026. Pour la premi…
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Folha de S.Paulo (outlet profile)
SpaceX tenta 1º voo orbital com megafoguete Starship; acompanhe às 9h15. A SpaceX , empresa de Elon Musk , deve tentar, na manhã desta segunda-feira (28), o primeiro voo orbital do seu megafoguete Starship. Leia mais (0…
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UOL (outlet profile)
SpaceX tenta 1º voo orbital com megafoguete Starship; acompanhe às 9h15
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Rzeczpospolita (outlet profile)
Przełomowy lot Starshipa: po raz pierwszy celuje w orbitę. W tle Starlinki i kosmiczna AI. To ma być najważniejsza próba Starshipa. Rakieta ma po raz pierwszy wejść na orbitę i wynieść 26 satelitów Starlink V3. Powodzen…
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Rzeczpospolita (outlet profile)
Przełomowy lot Starshipa. Po raz pierwszy trafił na orbitę. W tle Starlinki i kosmiczna AI. To najważniejsza próba Starshipa. Rakieta ma po raz pierwszy weszła na orbitę, wynosząc 26 satelitów Starlink V3. Powodzenie mi…
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Exame (outlet profile)
SpaceX coloca foguete Starship em órbita pela primeira vez no 14º voo de teste. Empresa de Elon Musk também planejou liberar 26 satélites Starlink V3 durante missão do foguete
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Business Insider (outlet profile)
Why Starship's riskiest launch yet is such a big deal for Elon Musk's SpaceX. Loaded with precious Starlink cargo, Starship will attempt to reach orbit for the first time when the megarocket blasts off from Texas.
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Numerama (outlet profile)
Grande première du Starship : suivez en direct le vol orbital inédit de la fusée géante de SpaceX. Le 14e vol d'essai du Starship, la fusée géante de SpaceX, est attendu à partir du 28 septembre 2026 depuis le Texas. Ce…
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The Verge (outlet profile)
SpaceX preps next-gen Starlink as Amazon’s competitor stalls. SpaceX is gearing up for a monumental flight today that's sure to be closely watched by Amazon. If successful, SpaceX will deploy its first Starlink V3 satel…
Factual core
- SpaceX's Starship reached orbit for the first time.
- SpaceX's Starship rocket reached orbit for the first time on Monday.
- The Starship spacecraft exploded after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
- During the mission, Starship was to deploy 26 Starlink V3 internet satellites.
- The Starship flight was much shorter than planned.
In the daily issue: The day in brief — September 28, 2026
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