SpaceX Launches Starship into Orbital Trajectory Carrying 26 Starlink Satellites

SpaceX shares traded up to $150.64 following the successful launch of Starship Flight 14, marking the vehicle's first time reaching an orbital trajectory after 13 suborbital tests. Liftoff occurred at 8:49 a.m. EDT from Starbase, Texas, achieving orbital insertion at approximately 170 miles altitude despite an unexpected Raptor 3 engine shutdown. The ten-hour mission includes deploying 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites. The launch reinforces the growth of Starlink, which doubled subscribers year-over-year to 12 million by the end of the second quarter, lifting SpaceX Connectivity revenue 66% to $4.3 billion.