SpaceX's Starship Readies for First Orbital Launch
SpaceX's Starship is set for its first orbital launch with the Super Heavy booster now at the pad. Orbital Radar monitors close satellite approaches.
| Active satellites | 15,729 |
| Starlink active | 9,853 |
| Catalogued objects | 31,477 |
| Predicted re-entries | 8 |
| Active close approaches | 22 |
| People in space | 10 |
SpaceX's Starship is poised for its inaugural orbital launch, with the Super Heavy booster now positioned at the launch pad. This marks a significant milestone for SpaceX as it aims to demonstrate the full capabilities of its next-generation spacecraft. The Starship system, designed for missions to the Moon and Mars, will undergo a critical test of its orbital launch capabilities. Orbital Radar's Launch Vehicles section provides detailed information on the Starship and its specifications.
Close Satellite Approaches
Orbital Radar is currently tracking several close approaches between satellites, with the closest being between TIANHUI 2-02A and TIANHUI 2-02B at a minimum distance of approximately 0.57 km. Such close encounters are monitored to prevent potential collisions, which could contribute to the growing issue of space debris. As of today, there are 31,477 catalogued objects in orbit, including debris, according to Orbital Radar's live catalogue.
What to Watch
While there are no new launches scheduled for today, upcoming launches include Rocket Lab's Electron and SpaceX's Falcon 9. These launches are part of a busy period for the space industry, with multiple missions planned in the coming weeks. For those interested in tracking these events, the Orbital Radar Launch Schedule provides up-to-date information on all upcoming launches.
Frequently Asked Questions
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📎 Cite this article · data available
Orbital Radar Newsroom. (2026). SpaceX's Starship Readies for First Orbital Launch. Orbital Radar. https://orbitalradar.com/blog/orbital-briefing-2026-09-22"SpaceX's Starship Readies for First Orbital Launch." Orbital Radar, 22 September 2026, https://orbitalradar.com/blog/orbital-briefing-2026-09-22.@misc{orbitalradar_orbital_briefing_2026_09_22,
title = {SpaceX's Starship Readies for First Orbital Launch},
author = {{Orbital Radar}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://orbitalradar.com/blog/orbital-briefing-2026-09-22}}
}
