Starship | Starlink Group 31-1 (Starship Flight 14)
Provider: SpaceX
Vehicle: Starship V3
Launch Date:
Launch Site: Orbital Launch Pad 2
Target Orbit: LEO
Orbital Compute Tier: Insufficient data
14th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. 3rd flight of Starship V3 and the first Starship flight to deploy satellites (a group of Starlink satellites known as Starlink Group 31-1) into stable Low Earth Orbit. The ship is expected to fly at an altitude approximately 275 km above Earth and complete approximately 6 orbits around the planet for nearly 10 hours, with splashdown targeted in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile. The booster’s primary test objective on Flight 14 will be executing a successful launch, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and landing burn at an offshore landing point in the Gulf. Starship will deliver 26 Starlink V3 satellites to orbit for the first time, which aim to greatly expand the network's capacity and user speeds. Each Starlink V3 satellite will add 1 Tbps of capacity to the constellation.
Mission intelligence
Public mission briefs available to everyone:
Public pre-launch brief
Executive takeaway
The Starship Flight 14 mission, set for September 28, 2026, aims to deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites into stable Low Earth Orbit, marking a significant step in SpaceX's satellite deployment capabilities. This mission is critical for enhancing global internet connectivity through the Starlink constellation.
Confirmed facts
The Starship Flight 14 mission is scheduled for launch on September 28, 2026, at 12:15 UTC from SpaceX's Orbital Launch Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. This mission marks the 14th test flight of SpaceX's Starship launch vehicle and the third flight of the Starship V3 variant. The mission aims to deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites into stable Low Earth Orbit, each contributing 1 Tbps of downlink capacity.
Analyst context
The successful deployment of the Starlink V3 satellites will enhance SpaceX's capabilities in satellite internet provision, potentially increasing market share in a competitive landscape. The mission's focus on vehicle performance and satellite deployment underscores the importance of reliable launch operations.
Compute signal
The Starlink V3 satellites are equipped with advanced communication technology, but specific onboard compute capabilities have not been detailed. The primary focus of this mission is on satellite deployment rather than onboard processing capabilities.
What to watch
Key indicators to monitor include the successful landing of Booster 21 in the Gulf of Mexico and the confirmation of satellite deployment into their designated orbits. Any issues during ascent or deployment could impact the mission's overall success.