SpaceX's Starship reaches orbit for first time but mission ends early after engine trouble in space

SpaceX's giant Starship achieved a major milestone by reaching orbit for the first time, but the landmark mission ended several hours earlier than planned after one of its engines shut down prematurely. The spacecraft successfully deployed 26 of SpaceX's latest-generation Starlink satellites before flight controllers decided to terminate the mission early as a precaution. Starship later re-entered Earth's atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii, roughly three hours after lifting off from Texas. The dramatic conclusion came after Starship tipped over and burst into flames following the splashdown.