SpaceX launched its Starship rocket into orbit for the first time early Monday from its facility in Starbase, Texas. The spacecraft reached orbit at approximately 8:15 a.m. local time, celebrated by cheers from SpaceX employees.

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This marked the 14th test flight of the Starship, during which the company also deployed 26 new Starlink V3 satellites. The launch, which occurred at 8:48 a.m. ET (7:48 a.m. local time), was visible in a livestream on the social network X, owned by SpaceX. Following launch, the booster performed a "soft splashdown" off the coast of Starbase, while the Starship spacecraft continued its trajectory with one of its vacuum engines failing.

The successful launch is a critical component of SpaceX's expansion plans, particularly for its Starlink satellite internet business, which was the company’s only profitable segment as of the second quarter. SpaceX currently operates around 11,000 active satellites, significantly outpacing competitor Eutelsat OneWeb, which has about 650.

On an earnings call in August, Elon Musk indicated the potential for Starlink to eventually provide the majority of the world’s internet in various countries. According to SpaceX, one Starship can carry 60 of its new Starlink V3 satellites into orbit, representing about 20 times the capacity of a Falcon 9 launch.

SpaceX went public in June, achieving the largest IPO on record and currently holds a valuation of approximately $2 trillion. The Starship Super Heavy rocket and booster are designed to be fully reusable, aiming to deliver more cargo at a lower cost into orbit compared to previous spacecraft.

While none of the past 13 test flights were intended for orbital missions, the 14th flight aimed for Starship to circle the planet multiple times and land off the coast of Chile. Instead, it splashed down at about 10:58 a.m. local time.

Musk had previously projected that Starship would reach orbit in 2022 and begin satellite deployments in 2023. He also stated that by late 2025, SpaceX aims to conduct at least one Starship flight every two weeks.

The recent launch demonstrates SpaceX's progress, although the reusability and reliability of the Starship Super Heavy system have yet to be proven. The company is also preparing for a significant NASA test flight next year, aimed at returning U.S. astronauts to the moon. SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell mentioned plans to launch "AI compute satellites" into orbit in 2027.

The new Starlink V3 satellites, developed at a SpaceX facility in Redmond, Washington, feature improved solar arrays that produce twice the power of earlier models, allowing for faster data transmission to subscribers.