What happened on Starship Flight 14?
Starship lifted off from Starbase, Texas on September 28 at 7:48 a.m. CT. SpaceX calls it the first orbital Starship flight and the first to carry meaningful payload: 26 Starlink V3 satellites. Reuters reports they were released one by one at roughly 269 km (161 miles). SpaceX says it contacted every satellite over laser links, ground stations and Starlink user terminals soon after.
It was not a perfect flight. A Raptor engine on the booster and one Raptor vacuum engine on the ship shut down early. SpaceX cut the time in orbit short and brought the ship down for a planned splashdown in the Pacific.
What is different about Starlink V3?
Converge Digest, citing SpaceX's design figures, says each V3 satellite is built for 1 Tbps of downlink and 160 Gbps of uplink, about 10 times and 22 times a V2 satellite. It lists six 400 Gbps laser links per satellite. SpaceX estimates a Starship launch of V3 satellites can add more than 20 times the network capacity of a Falcon 9 launch of V2 Mini satellites (GCN, Converge Digest). Future Starship flights are outlined to carry as many as about 60 V3 satellites.
These are design numbers. Converge Digest itself warns that 26 Tbps of combined design capacity should not be read as speed you will see at home.
Will this make my Starlink faster or cheaper?
Not yet, and possibly not directly. SpaceX says the satellites must complete on-orbit checkouts and raise their orbits before they begin serving customers. SpaceX has not announced US plan changes or price cuts tied to V3. More network capacity can ease congestion in busy areas over time, but your speed also depends on your location, how many people share your cell and your plan. Our coverage of Ookla's H1 2026 data shows how much speeds already vary by state.
Is Starlink still launching on Falcon 9?
Yes, but at a slower pace. Space.com reports that a Falcon 9 launched 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base on the evening of October 12 (Eastern time), the first Falcon 9 Starlink mission since September 19. It was the 82nd Falcon 9 Starlink launch of 2026. Space.com puts the constellation at more than 11,100 active satellites and says SpaceX plans to retire Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy in the next few years in favor of Starship.
What should you do if you want Starlink now?
Do not wait for V3. Check your address on starlink.com, since availability and pricing vary by location, and compare it with the alternatives in our Starlink vs Amazon Leo comparison. If you order through our referral link, you get the same reward as the person who referred you, which Starlink gives as cash or service credit once you have been subscribed for two months (Starlink's US example is $100; the amount shown in your Starlink account is what counts).
Frequently asked questions
What is Starlink V3?
The next generation of Starlink satellites. They are larger than earlier ones and designed to launch on Starship. SpaceX designed each for about 1 Tbps of downlink.
How many V3 satellites are in orbit?
26, deployed on Starship Flight 14 on September 28, 2026. They are still in checkout and orbit raising.
Did Starship reach orbit?
Yes. SpaceX says Flight 14 was the first orbital Starship flight. It deployed its payload, then deorbited and splashed down in the Pacific earlier than planned after an engine issue.
Does V3 change Starlink home internet plans?
No change has been announced. SpaceX says the satellites will begin serving customers after checkout, but has not tied new plans or prices to them.
Why did Falcon 9 Starlink launches pause?
Space.com reports a gap from September 19 to October 12 but does not give a reason in the article text we reviewed, so we do not speculate.
Sources
- SpaceX: Starship Flight 14 (Sept. 28, 2026)
- Reuters: Starship reaches orbit for first time on 14th flight (Sept. 28, 2026)
- GCN: Starship reaches orbit, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites (Oct. 1, 2026)
- Converge Digest: Starship deploys 26 one-terabit Starlink V3 satellites (Sept. 28, 2026)
- Space.com: SpaceX launches Falcon 9 Starlink mission for 1st time in more than 3 weeks (Oct. 13, 2026)