Jakarta, ThedailyID — SpaceX is targeting September 28, 2026, for the launch of Starship Flight 14. The mission could send the spacecraft into orbit for the first time.
The company originally planned the launch for September 22. However, SpaceX has now set a new target date, pending regulatory approval.
The launch window will last 75 minutes. It will open at 8:15 a.m. local time on September 28.
“We are currently targeting no earlier than Monday, September 28, for Starship Flight 14, pending regulatory approval,” SpaceX said on X on Friday, September 18.
Previous Starship test flights followed suborbital trajectories. This approach allowed SpaceX to test the spacecraft while limiting risks and gathering flight data.
According to Engadget, the latest mission aims to prepare Starship for future commercial flights. SpaceX will also test the spacecraft’s ability to operate as a reusable vehicle.
During the test, Starship will reach an altitude of around 171 miles, or 275 kilometers. It will circle Earth six times during a roughly 10-hour mission.
The spacecraft’s upper stage will then deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites into SpaceX’s satellite network.
Starlink V3 satellites can reportedly support download speeds of up to 1 Tbps. Their upload capacity can reach 160 Gbps.
SpaceX says the download capacity is 10 times higher than that of Starlink V2 satellites. The upload capacity is also 22 times higher than the previous generation.
The upcoming mission will mark an important change for the Starlink V3 satellites. On an earlier Starship test, the satellites only deployed their solar panels and antennas before eventually burning up in the atmosphere.
This time, SpaceX plans to deploy the satellites for commercial service. The company therefore needs to demonstrate that Starship can successfully deliver them into orbit.
SpaceX will also use a different recovery approach during Flight 14. The company will not use the mechanical arms on the launch tower to catch the Super Heavy booster.
Instead, the booster will land in the Gulf of Mexico several minutes after liftoff. The upper stage will continue its orbital mission before eventually falling into the Pacific Ocean near Chile.
SpaceX plans to stream the Starship Flight 14 launch live through its official X account on September 28.
