SpaceX Starship Reaches Orbit, Flight Cut Short

SpaceX launched Starship to orbit for the first time Monday, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites. A vacuum Raptor engine shut down during ascent, cutting the planned 10-hour, six-lap flight to three hours. The 407-foot rocket splashed down in the Pacific and exploded. The milestone advances NASA's Artemis moon program, though engine reliability remains a concern.