Starship Prepares for First Orbital Flight Next Week
SpaceX's Starship is set for its first orbital flight attempt next week, while Progress MS-35 prepares for launch to the ISS today.
| Active satellites | 18,110 |
| Starlink active | 9,839 |
| Catalogued objects | 29,390 |
| Active close approaches | 20 |
| People in space | 10 |
SpaceX is preparing for the first orbital flight attempt of its Starship vehicle, scheduled for next week. This highly anticipated mission will mark a significant milestone for the spacecraft, which aims to revolutionise space travel with its fully reusable design. The Starship programme, central to SpaceX's Mars colonisation plans, has been under development for several years. The upcoming launch will test the vehicle's ability to reach orbit and safely return to Earth.
Progress MS-35 Launch to ISS
Today, the Progress MS-35 cargo spacecraft is poised for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This mission will deliver essential supplies and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS). The Progress spacecraft, a workhorse of the Russian space programme, has been instrumental in maintaining the ISS's operations since the station's inception. The launch is scheduled for later today, and visible passes can be checked on the Orbital Radar pass predictor.
Orbital Close Approaches
Several close approaches between active satellites and space debris are being monitored. Notably, the TIANHUI 5A and TIANHUI 5B satellites are predicted to pass within approximately 0.99 km of each other. Such close approaches highlight the growing congestion in low Earth orbit (LEO), where over 18,110 active satellites are currently operating, according to Orbital Radar's live catalogue.
What to Watch
In addition to the Starship and Progress MS-35 missions, space enthusiasts should keep an eye on the upcoming launch of a national security payload by SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Originally scheduled for earlier this week, the launch was scrubbed and is now targeting a backup window on Wednesday. For more details on upcoming launches, visit the Orbital Radar launch schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is SpaceX's Starship first orbital flight?
What is the Progress MS-35 mission?
📎 Cite this article · data available
Orbital Radar Newsroom. (2026). Starship Prepares for First Orbital Flight Next Week. Orbital Radar. https://orbitalradar.com/blog/orbital-briefing-2026-09-16"Starship Prepares for First Orbital Flight Next Week." Orbital Radar, 16 September 2026, https://orbitalradar.com/blog/orbital-briefing-2026-09-16.@misc{orbitalradar_orbital_briefing_2026_09_16,
title = {Starship Prepares for First Orbital Flight Next Week},
author = {{Orbital Radar}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://orbitalradar.com/blog/orbital-briefing-2026-09-16}}
}
