Space.com
• Mike Wall
After more than a decade of development, SpaceX is preparing Starship’s first orbital mission, targeting Sept. 28 for Flight 14. The mission would deploy Starlink V3 satellites into an operational orbit, marking the vehicle’s transition from development testing toward commercial spaceflight operations.
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After more than a decade of development, SpaceX is preparing Starship’s first orbital mission, targeting Sept. 28 for Flight 14. The mission would deploy Starlink V3 satellites into an operational orbit, marking the vehicle’s transition from development testing toward commercial spaceflight operations.
The European Union commissioner responsible for space is taking a more active role in launch policy, urging European companies to increase launch activity. The push signals greater EU attention to launch cadence and the continent’s ability to sustain independent access to space.
Rocket Lab launched another Electron mission for Japanese radar-imaging company Synspective on Sept. 25, deploying the 13th satellite in the company’s constellation. The flight extends a sustained launch relationship supporting Synspective’s expansion of space-based Earth observation capabilities.
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SpaceX is preparing to launch Starship Flight 14 on Sept. 28 in the vehicle’s first attempt to reach orbit. The mission would mark a major transition from previous suborbital testing, while the company also conducts a classified U.S. Space Force launch from California earlier in the week.
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Starship’s first intended orbital mission, Flight 14, is awaiting regulatory approval while a near-term manifest indicates the next two flights could follow in close succession. The sequence would provide an early view of the program’s planned operational tempo and development cadence.
Finnish synthetic aperture radar satellite operator Iceye is establishing a technology center and new Polish headquarters in Warsaw. The company plans to invest $31 million in Poland, expanding its operational and technology presence in the country.
Deutsche Telekom, Liberty Mobile, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone see promise in satellite direct-to-device services but acknowledge that the market’s scale and profitability remain unclear. Their assessment highlights the commercial uncertainty facing operators and satellite partners pursuing connectivity that reaches standard mobile devices from orbit.
Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch Strix, a radar-imaging satellite for Japanese company Synspective, on the “Owlright, Owlright, Owlright” mission on Sept. 25. The flight will support Synspective’s imaging constellation and marks another commercial deployment serving Japan’s growing space-data market.
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