SpaceX launches Starship on first orbital flight

SpaceX launched its next-generation Starship rocket early Monday on what's planned to be its first orbital mission. Why it matters: The massive, fully-reusable Starship is key to SpaceX's commercial spaceflight ambitions, while NASA is counting on a modified version for use as a lunar lander in its Artemis program. Driving the news: Starship launched from South Texas just before 9 a.m. ET on a planned flight of about 10 hours. It's set to orbit Earth about six times before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, west of Chile. As part of the mission, Starship will deploy 26 of the company's new, better-performing Starlink V3 internet satellites. Zoom in: Starship's first-stage Super Heavy booster splashed down in the Gulf of America shortly after launch. SpaceX says this Super Heavy was modified after ice clogging issues interfered with a splashdown attempt on the last test flight. What they're saying: "Flight tests until this point have intentionally flown passively safe suborbital trajectories to maximize public safety while allowing for maximum learning," SpaceX says in a mission summary. "By going to orbit, the next phase of developing Starship to be fully and rapidly reusable can begin." What's next: SpaceX plans to eventually "catch" Starship in the arms of its launch tower — a feat it's accomplished with Super Heavy, but not Starship — but isn't making the attempt this time.

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