Starship's First Orbital Flight Tests Heat Shield

SpaceX's Starship successfully reached Earth orbit for the first time on September 28, 2026, but not all went as planned. An engine failure was overcome, and the rocket returned after two orbits instead of six. The splashdown in the Pacific Ocean ended in a huge bang, rather than the soft landing hoped for. The success of the flight depends on the performance of Starship's heat shield, composed of approximately 18,000 hexagonal tiles made of silica ceramic. Engineers will inspect the heat shield's performance by comparing photos of the tiles before and after reentry. The heat shield must withstand the mechanical demands of launch, as well as the challenges of space, including exposure to a vacuum and repeated cycles of heating and cooling.