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SpaceX's Starship Is Set to Make Its First Orbital Flight

SpaceX's Starship Is Set to Make Its First Orbital Flight

Tech The New York Times
SpaceX is scheduled to attempt its 14th Starship test flight on Monday, marking a pivotal effort to achieve the system's first orbital trajectory.
What: Scheduled for 8 AM ET, this flight focuses on reaching orbit rather than full recovery; the booster will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico, while the upper stage targets a Pacific landing near Chile.
Why it matters: Reaching orbit is a critical prerequisite for Starship's intended roles in satellite deployment and long-distance deep space logistics.
Decoder
  • Orbital flight: Achieving a speed and trajectory sufficient to remain in space indefinitely by balancing centrifugal force with gravity, as opposed to a suborbital hop.
Original article

SpaceX is aiming to reach orbit on Starship's 14th test flight. The test flight is scheduled for Monday at around 8 AM ET, with SpaceX providing live coverage of the event on its website. Achieving orbital flight will allow Starship to deploy satellites and travel to more distant destinations. SpaceX will not try to catch the two rocket stages during the test - the booster will make a simulated landing in the Gulf of Mexico, and the upper stage will simulate a landing in the Pacific Ocean to the west of Chile.

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