SpaceX schedules first orbital Starship launch for September 22

SpaceX has announced plans to conduct the 14th mission of its Starship vehicle on September 22, marking the company's first attempt to reach orbit with the experimental rocket. Pending final regulatory approval, the launch is scheduled for 7:15 am local time in Texas, with a 75-minute window. The mission will utilize the Super Heavy booster to deploy 26 V3 Starlink satellites into an orbit approximately 275 kilometers above Earth. According to the company's official update, the Starship upper stage is expected to complete six full orbits over a duration of ten hours. The timing of the launch, occurring just minutes before sunrise in Brownsville, is expected to provide significant visual opportunities. This flight represents a critical milestone in SpaceX's development of its heavy-lift launch system, aiming to demonstrate the vehicle's capability for sustained orbital operations.