A SpaceX Starship Rocket Officially Reached Orbit. Why That's So Significant
SpaceX achieves a long-promised orbit—with the moon and Mars the long-term goal.
On September 28, 2026, SpaceX's Starship rocket successfully reached orbit for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the company's ambitious plans for lunar and Martian exploration. Three and a half years after the initial launch of the colossal stainless steel machine, the Starship finally achieved its long-awaited goal.
The 25-minute and 17-second journey from SpaceX's Starbase launch pad in Texas to a circular orbit 170 miles high was hailed as a monumental success by SpaceX, with the company announcing the achievement on X and sharing a video of the engine maneuver. Starship's far greater payload capacity compared to the Falcon 9 rocket, which accounted for nearly 51% of global commercial launches in 2025, promises to revolutionize satellite deployment and reduce costs.
NASA selected Starship as one of two spacecraft to transport astronauts to the moon by 2028, alongside Blue Origin's effort. In 2027, NASA plans a crewed test of Starship in Earth orbit during the Artemis III mission, followed by an uncrewed lunar landing and liftoff. Despite initial setbacks, including the catastrophic failure of the inaugural Starship launch in April 2023, the company persevered with launches occurring every three months, none achieving stable orbit—until today.
While the mission was not without imperfections, SpaceX's Starship demonstrated its ability to reach orbit, paving the way for future missions and ultimately, crewed lunar exploration.
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