SpaceX plans Starship orbital launch for September 22, pending approval

<p>Pending regulatory approval, SpaceX announced on September 15, 2026, that it intends to launch its 14th Starship mission as early as September 22. This flight is significant as it will mark the first attempt by SpaceX to launch the experimental vehicle into orbit.</p><p>The company has set a target liftoff time of 7:15 am local time in Texas (12:15 UTC), with a 75-minute launch window. Sunrise in Brownsville, Texas, is at 7:17 am CT, which could provide notable imagery during the launch.</p><p>The Super Heavy lift rocket is expected to carry 26 of the larger V3 Starlink satellites into an orbit approximately 275 km above the Earth. According to an update on its website, SpaceX stated that the Starship upper stage will aim to complete six orbits around the Earth before concluding its mission after about 10 hours.</p>