SpaceX targets first Starship orbital flight with Starlink V3 deployment

SpaceX said in its Aug. 4 earnings call that the next Starship flight will be its first orbital test, deploying upgraded Starlink V3 satellites (Flight 14) with an end-of-August target and a possible ship catch at the launch site pending regulators. Musk touted a robust heat shield and signaled a rising flight cadence—potentially one per day within a year—while noting Starlink growth and AI investments alongside large capital expenditure on Starship development.