SpaceX Targets Thursday for Starship Flight 13 Launch

SpaceX has announced that the 13th test flight of its Starship megarocket is scheduled for no earlier than Thursday, July 16, with a 90-minute launch window opening at 6:45 p.m. ET (22:45 GMT) from the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The flight comes just one month after SpaceX’s historic initial public offering, making it the first Starship test flight conducted as a publicly traded company.

A Critical Test for the World’s Largest Rocket

Flight 13 will be the second launch of the new Starship Version 3 (V3) — the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, standing 407 feet (124 meters) tall when fully stacked. Powered by 33 Raptor 3 engines on its Super Heavy booster and six Raptor 3 engines on the Ship upper stage, the vehicle generates over 16 million pounds of thrust, more than double the Saturn V that took humans to the Moon.

According to Space.com, this will be the second launch for the V3 configuration, following its debut on Flight 12 on May 22, 2026. SpaceX is aiming to validate corrective actions addressing anomalies from that previous flight.

What Went Wrong on Flight 12

During the V3’s maiden flight in May, several issues emerged that required investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) closed its investigation on July 13, clearing SpaceX for launch after approving corrective actions.

SpaceX’s analysis revealed that at stage separation, slight differences in engine startup on the Ship caused the Super Heavy booster’s directional flip to be off by approximately 90 degrees. Additionally, five of the booster’s 33 engines failed to relight during the boostback burn, causing it to end early. According to TechCrunch, the FAA determined the most probable root causes were “heat effects on propulsion system components during the ascent and erroneous engine alarm system settings.”

SpaceX has since modified the engine startup sequence for more reliable booster orientation, implemented hardware modifications to improve re-light reliability, and updated engine alarm and abort systems to better match multi-engine flight conditions.

First Operational Starlink V3 Deployment

For the first time, Starship will carry functional Starlink V3 satellites to space. The mission includes 20 of the upgraded satellites, which represent a major step forward for SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation. According to SpaceX’s official mission page, the satellites will extend their solar arrays and antennas, attempting to connect with the larger Starlink constellation via high-capacity lasers before burning up in Earth’s atmosphere approximately 20 minutes after deployment.

Six of the satellites are equipped with cameras to scan Starship’s heat shield and transmit imagery for analysis, continuing SpaceX’s efforts to validate the vehicle’s readiness for return-to-launch-site operations.

First Post-IPO Test Flight

SpaceX completed its initial public offering on June 12, 2026, listing on the Nasdaq Exchange at a valuation of $1.75 trillion — the largest IPO in stock market history. As USA Today reports, this makes Flight 13 the first Starship test flight conducted as a publicly traded company, adding new scrutiny from public market investors to SpaceX’s traditionally risk-tolerant “fly, fail, fix” development approach.

Mission Objectives and Timeline

The flight plan calls for Super Heavy to perform a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, while the Ship upper stage will deploy the Starlink V3 satellites, attempt an in-space relight of a single Raptor engine, and execute a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The entire mission is expected to last approximately one hour and five minutes.

Implications for NASA’s Artemis Program

SpaceX is under contract with NASA to develop a lunar lander version of Starship for the Artemis program. With Artemis III planned for 2027 — which will test both SpaceX and Blue Origin lunar landers in Earth orbit — and Artemis IV targeting a crewed lunar landing in 2028, each successful test flight builds confidence in meeting these tight deadlines.

What to Watch For

If Flight 13 succeeds, SpaceX is expected to attempt the first V3 booster recovery at the launch site on the following mission. The company still needs to demonstrate orbital capability, in-space refueling, and crew-rated safety before Starship can become fully operational — milestones SpaceX is aiming to achieve within the year.