SpaceX’s showpiece Starship rocket reaches orbit for first time

SpaceX's largest rocket has successfully reached orbit, marking a significant milestone for the private aerospace company. The uncrewed spacecraft launched from Texas carrying 26 new Starlink satellites to join over 11,000 existing ones. Despite an initial engine shutdown, the mission continued successfully, aiming to circle the Earth at 275 km altitude six times over nearly 10 hours, ending with a splashdown in the Pacific near Chile.