Starship has gone full orbital for the first time! Test Flight 14 successfully inserted Ship into orbit (to be distinguished from the sub-orbital flights up until now), where it deployed 26 fully function V3 Starlink satellites (these things are monsters) then orbited the Earth several times before performing a controlled re-entry and soft splashdown. The booster also executed a successful soft splashdown.
The Starlink deployment means this is the first money-making flight for Starship; the first of a great many. Tower catch attempt of the booster, the Ship, or both next flight? Maybe/probably?
It was a stunningly beautiful morning for a rocket launch.
Minor issues: one Raptor engine shut off early on each of the booster and Ship. The craft are designed to compensation for losing an engine, and the failures ultimately didn't impact their ability to achieve the test objectives.
Image credits:
Image 1: Analis Beckerman, https://x.com/gatewaytomarz/status/2104599714993988006
Image 2: Max Evans, https://x.com/_MaxQ_/status/2104556154831745029
Images 3 and 4: SpaceX
