SpaceX’s Starship rocket reaches orbit for first time

SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket reached orbit for the first time on Monday morning, achieving a milestone for the programme after the mission briefly looked at risk because an engine failed during ascent.

Starship took off at 7.49am local time out of SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility in South Texas, embarking on what could be a nearly 10-hour long test flight.

The uncrewed 40-story-tall rocket was carrying 26 of the company’s upgraded Starlink satellites that SpaceX intended to deploy in orbit and join the existing internet-from-space network.

Starship began deploying the satellites at roughly 35 minutes after lift-off and all were expected to be deployed roughly an hour into the flight.