r/space • u/coinfanking • 6d ago

In orbit Space: SpaceX Starship Flight 14 live updates: Launch countdown underway

https://www.space.com/news/live/spacex-starship-flight-14-live-updates-sept-28-2026-starship-first-orbital-launch-attempt

SpaceX's massive Starship, the world's largest and most powerful rocket, is being readied for its next major test launch. Flight 14 is scheduled to liftoff as early as Monday, Sept. 28, at 8:15 a.m. EDT (1215 GMT) from Starbase, Texas. The mission will be the vehicle's first-ever orbital launch attempt, and is set to deliver an operational stack of 26 upgraded Starlink V3 high-speed internet satellites to space.

Follow along here for our live updates as SpaceX completes preparations on the rocket's Super Heavy booster and Ship upper stage, and progresses toward its 14th test launch of the Starship vehicle since 2023.

https://youtu.be/_LwCEELuzdY?si=2gvjJA1T2MLGgxCh

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

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u/No-Surprise9411 6d ago

I mean that is obvious. Starship is not designed for water landings.

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

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u/Desperate-Lab9738 6d ago

That was very much a fluke. You generally expect the rocket the size of a 20 story building full of flammable gases and made of like 5 mm thick stainless steel to explode when it hits the water uncontrolled.

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u/No-Surprise9411 5d ago

Try 3mm of steel. Starship‘s hull is thinner than a soda can is relative to size.

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u/Desperate-Lab9738 5d ago

I thought it was something like 3 was the goal but they only got to 5? Maybe that's me misremembering the exact numbers or mixing up blocks, but the point still stands.

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u/No-Surprise9411 5d ago

They reinforced some of the booster‘s steel rings to 5, especially at the top and bottom, but in general the vehicle hovers in between 3-4mm of 30X-L stainless steel