$SPCX
## Starship IFT-14 Latest Launch Plan
**Target Time**: Late August to early September 2026 (the timeline given by Musk at the Q2 earnings call is “end of August,” but it currently looks like it may slip to early September)
**Vehicle**: Ship 41 (S41) + Booster 21 (B21), Starship V3 configuration, 3rd flight
### This mission has three “firsts in history”:
1. **First truly reaching orbit** — The first 13 flights were suborbital or near-orbital; this one will complete a full orbit around Earth
2. **First deployment of the production version of Starlink V3 satellites** — About 20 operational-capable V3 satellites, no longer simulated payloads
3. **First attempt to use the tower to capture the upper stage** — Previously it only succeeded at “chopstick grabbing” the booster; capturing the ship is much harder. An FCC filing has confirmed the booster will also return to the launch site, which may enable the first-ever “double capture”
### Current Preparation Progress:
- S41 has just completed its first static fire test of a single Raptor engine at the Massey test site
- Next, multiple-engine static fires are still required; only after all tests pass can it enter the launch window
- Regulated approval is still needed for the tower’s capture of the upper stage
### Review of the Previous Mission (IFT-13):
- Launched on July 24 and successfully deployed 20 Starlink V3 test satellites
- Upper stage S40 achieved the first-ever complete soft splashdown. After floating at sea for 24 days, it was towed to Christmas Island on August 18. The airframe shows some rust but is overall intact
**Risk Alert**: Starship launch plans have long been repeatedly delayed. The end-of-August target is itself tentative, and since this mission concentrates three high-difficulty “firsts,” any issue in any step could lead to further postponement. It’s recommended to closely monitor SpaceX’s official X account and FCC launch-permit updates.
## Starship IFT-14 Latest Launch Plan
**Target Time**: Late August to early September 2026 (the timeline given by Musk at the Q2 earnings call is “end of August,” but it currently looks like it may slip to early September)
**Vehicle**: Ship 41 (S41) + Booster 21 (B21), Starship V3 configuration, 3rd flight
### This mission has three “firsts in history”:
1. **First truly reaching orbit** — The first 13 flights were suborbital or near-orbital; this one will complete a full orbit around Earth
2. **First deployment of the production version of Starlink V3 satellites** — About 20 operational-capable V3 satellites, no longer simulated payloads
3. **First attempt to use the tower to capture the upper stage** — Previously it only succeeded at “chopstick grabbing” the booster; capturing the ship is much harder. An FCC filing has confirmed the booster will also return to the launch site, which may enable the first-ever “double capture”
### Current Preparation Progress:
- S41 has just completed its first static fire test of a single Raptor engine at the Massey test site
- Next, multiple-engine static fires are still required; only after all tests pass can it enter the launch window
- Regulated approval is still needed for the tower’s capture of the upper stage
### Review of the Previous Mission (IFT-13):
- Launched on July 24 and successfully deployed 20 Starlink V3 test satellites
- Upper stage S40 achieved the first-ever complete soft splashdown. After floating at sea for 24 days, it was towed to Christmas Island on August 18. The airframe shows some rust but is overall intact
**Risk Alert**: Starship launch plans have long been repeatedly delayed. The end-of-August target is itself tentative, and since this mission concentrates three high-difficulty “firsts,” any issue in any step could lead to further postponement. It’s recommended to closely monitor SpaceX’s official X account and FCC launch-permit updates.