SpaceX launched its giant Starship into orbit for the first time on Monday, marking a major milestone on the rocket’s 14th full-scale test flight from Texas.
The mission is intended to send the spacecraft around Earth six times during a flight lasting almost 10 hours before a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near Chile.
The orbital test also includes deployment of 26 next-generation Starlink satellites.
The spacecraft initially flew on a suborbital trajectory before controllers decided to conduct a second burn to reach orbit.
The decision followed tense minutes after one engine shut down earlier than planned, although the engine was no longer needed and other systems were operating well.
“Starship is orbital,” Mission Control announced after the maneuver.
The upper stage separated from the Super Heavy booster and reached orbit about 26 minutes after liftoff.
SpaceX is targeting a circular orbit roughly 275 kilometers, or 171 miles, above Earth.
Satellite deployment began shortly afterward, adding newer models to SpaceX’s existing Starlink internet constellation.
The Super Heavy first-stage booster was not scheduled to return to the launch site and instead dropped into the Gulf of Mexico shortly after liftoff.
Previous full-scale Starship flights had traveled no farther than the Indian Ocean, with several tests ending in explosions.
SpaceX designed the 407-foot rocket to become fully reusable, an objective intended to reduce launch costs.
The company recovered the previous Starship from the Indian Ocean in July and used inspections of that spacecraft to modify the heat shield on the vehicle launched Monday.
A successful orbital debut could clear the way for SpaceX to attempt returning a future Starship to the launch site, where mechanical arms would try to catch the hovering spacecraft.
The company also plans future tests involving orbital refueling.
Starship is central to SpaceX’s plans for lunar and Mars missions and is being developed for NASA’s Artemis program.
NASA plans to use Starship or Jeff Bezos’ Blue Moon lander for future astronaut landings on the Moon.
SpaceX also intends to use Starship for large satellite deployments while continuing development of additional launch sites.