SPACE MILESTONE: SpaceX Starship Reaches Orbit for First Time, Deploys Next-Gen Starlinks...

SpaceX achieved a major milestone Monday with Starship's first fully orbital flight, marking a significant step toward making the massive rocket operational for routine space missions. After 13 previous test flights that deliberately remained suborbital, the company's most powerful launch vehicle finally completed the jump to low-Earth orbit, demonstrating that the vehicle can achieve the speeds and altitudes needed for its intended role launching satellites and deep-space missions. The achievement carries particular weight for SpaceX's Starlink broadband ambitions. The company deployed 26 of its next-generation satellites during the flight—a payload size that underscores a key advantage of Starship's design. These larger satellites cannot fit inside SpaceX's existing Falcon 9 rocket, meaning Starship's cargo capacity opens new possibilities for expanding and upgrading the company's satellite internet network while also positioning it as a launch provider for other large-scale space infrastructure projects.