SpaceX targets Starship Flight 14 for first orbital Starlink V3 deployment

SpaceX plans to start deploying upgraded Starlink V3 satellites into operational orbit on the next Starship flight, scheduled for as soon as the end of the month, SpaceNews reported from the company's Aug. 4 earnings call. Chief Executive Elon Musk said Flight 14 would be the vehicle's first orbital launch attempt and the first to fly version three Starlink communications satellites to operational orbit. He also said the company will attempt to catch the upper stage, or ship, back at the launch site on Flight 14, pending regulatory approval, after prior soft splashdowns in the Indian Ocean. Musk tied the plan to analysis of Flight 13 on July 24, which deployed 20 functioning Starlink V3 satellites for brief tests before reentry and left the ship floating for recovery. He estimated about 1,000 V3 satellites would form a critical mass for service gains, roughly in the second quarter of next year. SpaceNews noted space remains SpaceX's smallest division by revenue but is essential for deploying Starlink and AI satellites, including next-generation direct-to-cell craft optimized for Starship.