The fourteenth launch into space of Starship, last Monday, September 28, marked a historic milestone for SpaceX: the mega-rocket reached Earth orbit for the first time everIn the 13 previous tests, the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever built had been limited to suborbital trajectories. This, however, was not a flight like the others: for the first time, SpaceX had the goal of not only making a suborbital jump, but of completing six laps around the Earth and, above all, of release 26 third-generation Starlink V3 satellitesAnd it is precisely the presence of that payload that transforms this test from an engineering experiment into the beginning of a commercial phase.
Was it a success?
Yes, although not 100%. It was the Starship's first orbital flight and the first to carry a real payload into orbit, but during the ascent, one of the Super Heavy's 33 Raptor engines shut down, followed by a second-stage engine failure. SpaceX compensated by firing the other engines longer. Mission control initially announced that it would not attempt orbit insertion, but after about twenty-two minutes, it reversed its decision and refired one engine to establish a stable orbital entry at an altitude of about 275 km.
Despite the anomaly, the ship opened the slotted hatch, what engineers call a Pez dispenser, and released 26 Starlink V3 satellites, one after the other. All responded to laser and ground contactsThe original plan called for six orbits in about ten hours, but out of caution, the stay was shortened and the spacecraft was brought back down in a controlled splashdown in the North Pacific. The Super Heavy also returned to the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX officially declared both splashdowns a success.
Why was it so important?
In the thirteen Previous Starship flights had only flown on suborbital trajectories, to test separation, heat shield, and engines. Flight 13 in July had already released 20 V3s, but they were intended to return immediately. This flight was intended to demonstrate three things at once: reach orbit, work in space, and exit in a controlled mannerWithout this test, Starship would have remained a giant prototype. With this test, it becomes an orbital system. It is the step that can take it from prototype to operational machine.
It's also important for licensing. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had to update the authorization distinguishing between orbital and suborbital flights, with the obligation to return to the water at least 50 miles from the coast and financial liability of up to 500 million dollars in the event of damage.
What does the mission entail now?
The 26 V3 satellites must now complete in-orbit checks and raise their altitude with their thrusters to operational orbit, then they will start serving customers within a few weeksUnlike the V2s, each V3 weighs about two tons and handles about 1 terabit per second download and 160 gigabits upload, ten times the download speed of its predecessors.
Flight 14's mission ended with splashdown, but the program includes six complete laps in the next missions and the orbital refueling test, a key step towards Artemis. NASA has chosen a modified version of Starship as the human lander and plans a demonstration in Earth orbit for 2027.
What changes after this launch?
Space logistics are changing. The V3s are too big for the Falcon 9. A fully loaded Starship can carry up to 60 of them in a single launch, about twenty times the capacity of a Falcon 9 with V2s. This means that Starlink no longer depends on the old rocket to grow. The economics of space access are also changing: Musk's radical idea is to make both Super Heavy and Ship reusable and drastically reduce the cost per kilogram. If it works on a large scale, it would change the very economics of access to space.
The next step is full reusabilityUntil now, recovery was only possible in water; Flight 14's license did not authorize reentry to the tower. Recovery with the Mechazilla arms at Starbase will require a new authorization.
How much did SpaceX earn on the stock market after its successful launch?
SpaceX doesn't make money from a single launch; it makes money from what that launch makes possible. In the second quarter of 2026, it reported revenue of $7,8 billion, up 92%, with a net loss of $541 million. The launch unit alone generated 962 million but lost $542 million while developing Starship.
The real multiplier is StarlinkAnalysts estimate that the launch of the new V3s represents hundreds of millions of dollars in expected new revenue for Starlink. Each V3 satellite adds marketable capacity, and a full Starship payload would add nearly $1 billion in recurring revenue.
For this The market values SpaceX at around $1.500 trillionEven though the stock dropped 0,93% immediately after the splashdown, the bet remains the same: if Starship flies repeatedly, SpaceX will be able to launch at much lower costs.
