SpaceX Starship finally reaches orbit
SpaceX’s showpiece Starship rocket reaches orbit for first time
Monday, 28 September 2026
Warm-up
- What space launch or mission has impressed you recently? Why?
- What should private companies focus on in space exploration?
- How do you feel about rockets flying over populated areas?
Vocabulary
- milestone
- An important stage that shows significant progress has been made.
- uncrewed
- Without people on board; operated remotely or automatically.
- altitude
- The height of something above the Earth or sea level.
- reusable
- Able to be used again instead of thrown away.
- salvage
- To save something valuable from loss or damage, often after an accident.
- modify
- To change something in order to improve it or make it fit a new use.
- certify
- To officially approve something as meeting a required standard.
- dock
- To join two spacecraft together in space.
Reading
Listen to this story
British EnglishSpaceX’s giant Starship reached Earth orbit for the first time, a long-sought milestone for SpaceX. The uncrewed rocket lifted off from Starbase in Texas and, despite one engine shutting down early, continued as planned. It carried 26 new Starlink satellites to join about 11,000 already in service.
This was Starship’s 14th full-scale launch from Texas’s far south. Earlier attempts went no farther than the Indian Ocean and ended in flames. This time, SpaceX aimed for six orbits at an altitude of about 275 km over nearly ten hours, ending with a Pacific splashdown near Chile. The first-stage booster was not recovered; it was due to fall into the Gulf of Mexico within minutes.
Designed to be fully reusable, the 124-metre rocket is central to lowering launch costs. SpaceX salvaged a Starship from the Indian Ocean in July and used inspections to modify the new heat shield. The company is pressing to certify Starship for NASA’s Artemis missions, which will need orbital manoeuvres to dock with Orion. A second Starship site is nearing completion at Kennedy Space Center, with a third planned in Louisiana. Musk plans to phase out the Falcon 9 within several years.
Comprehension
- What first-time achievement did Starship reach on this flight?
- How many new Starlink satellites did the rocket carry?
- What problem occurred during ascent, and how did the mission proceed?
- What path and endpoint were planned for this mission?
- Where was the first-stage booster expected to fall?
Grammar focus
Adverbs and adverbial phrases: degree
Adverbs of degree show how strong or weak something is. 'Very' goes with single adjectives; 'much' or 'far' go with comparatives. (Examples constructed.)
- Starship's reuse could make launches much cheaper.
- The rocket's size and power are very impressive.
Grammar exercise
Circle the correct option in each sentence.
- This launch was (much / very) more successful.
- The mission was (much / very) long, lasting nearly ten hours.
- Earlier attempts were (very / much) less controlled.
- Recovery efforts were (very / far) limited by ocean conditions.
- Phasing out Falcon 9 will make operations (far / very) more efficient.
Discussion
- Why does a reusable rocket matter for future missions?
- Should national agencies rely on private rockets for lunar work?
- What risks must be managed before flights pass over land?
- Is retiring Falcon 9 within years realistic? Why or why not?
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