‘Starship is in orbit’: cheers go up as huge SpaceX rocket circles Earth for first time
SpaceX's Starship rocket after takeoff from the Starbase launch facility in Texas. Photograph: Michael Gonzalez/EPAView image in fullscreenSpaceX's Starship rocket after takeoff from the Starbase launch facility in Texas. Photograph: Michael Gonzalez/EPAFor suborbital flights, the trajectory is such that if the rocket explodes or malfunctions mid-flight, the remnants come down in the Indian Ocean far from populated areas.
- ▪SpaceX's Starship rocket after takeoff from the Starbase launch facility in Texas.
- ▪Photograph: Michael Gonzalez/EPAView image in fullscreenSpaceX's Starship rocket after takeoff from the Starbase launch facility in Texas.
- ▪Photograph: Michael Gonzalez/EPAFor suborbital flights, the trajectory is such that if the rocket explodes or malfunctions mid-flight, the remnants come down in the Indian Ocean far from populated areas.
7 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 6 hours. Coverage spans 2 points on the political spectrum — 1 lean left, 5 centre.
- ▪ Watch: SpaceX launches Starship rocket into orbit for first time — BBC News — Science
- ▪ SpaceX’s Starship rocket reaches orbit for the first time — TechCrunch
- ▪ SpaceX Launches Starship Into Orbit For The First Time — The Information
- ▪ After One Hiccup, SpaceX Reaches Orbit With Starship's 14th Launch — PCMag
- ▪ SpaceX's Starship launching to orbit for first time ever today — Space
- ▪ Watch Live as SpaceX’s Starship Attempts to Reach Orbit for the First Time — Gizmodo
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/sep/28/spacex-starship-rocket-orbits-earth-texas |
| Publication time | Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:44:13 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-28T15:27:23.499Z |
| Last seen | 2026-09-28T15:27:23.499Z |
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| Cluster | wE6TIRkrM-Gq · 7 stories |
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SpaceX's Starship rocket after takeoff from the Starbase launch facility in Texas. Photograph: Michael Gonzalez/EPAView image in fullscreenSpaceX's Starship rocket after takeoff from the Starbase launch facility in Texas. Photograph: Michael Gonzalez/EPASpaceX‘Starship is in orbit’: cheers go up as huge SpaceX rocket circles Earth for first timeMission goes ahead despite some fears an initial engine failure after the Texas launch would scupper the attemptIan Sample Science editorMon 28 Sep 2026 12.23 EDTFirst published on Mon 28 Sep 2026 10.44 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleSpaceX has sent its enormous Starship rocket into Earth’s orbit for the first time on a milestone flight intended to pave the way for future missions to the moon and Mars.The rocket, the largest and most powerful…
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