Starship Flight 13: SpaceX Launches Advanced Starlinks

SpaceX successfully launched its towering Starship rocket on its 13th test flight Friday evening, deploying 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites and achieving the spacecraft’s first intact ocean splashdown — a major milestone for the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket.

According to AP News, the 407-foot (124-meter) Starship V3 lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas at 6:51 p.m. EDT (2251 GMT) on July 24, following a week-long delay caused by a last-second launch abort and Tropical Storm Bertha.

A Significant Step Forward

Flight 13 marks the second test of the upgraded Starship V3 variant, which debuted in May 2026 on Flight 12. The stainless steel vehicle is designed to be fully reusable and represents the centerpiece of SpaceX’s ambitions — from deploying massive satellite constellations to landing astronauts on the moon and building a city on Mars.

The hourlong journey took the spacecraft more than 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) across the globe, with the Super Heavy booster separating and attempting a controlled return to the Gulf of Mexico while the upper stage continued its suborbital trajectory.

Booster Struggles, Upper Stage Success

While all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster fired at liftoff, only 5 of the 13 engines intended for the landing burn re-ignited, causing the booster to hit the Gulf waters harder than planned. The issue mirrors similar engine relight problems experienced during Flight 12 in May, Space.com reported.

SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot acknowledged the issue during the live webcast, noting, “It didn’t look like we lit all 13 engines that we were planning for that initial landing burn.”

Despite the booster’s rough landing, the Starship upper stage performed exceptionally well. It deployed all 20 Starlink V3 satellites through its PEZ-like dispenser while coasting at approximately 124 miles (200 kilometers) altitude. SpaceX confirmed that engineers made contact with all 20 satellites and downloaded data before they reentered the atmosphere as planned, given the suborbital flight path. Six of the satellites carried cameras that captured remarkable images of Starship’s heat shield.

The Softest Splashdown Yet

The flight’s crowning achievement came at the end of the mission, when Starship executed a controlled descent over the Indian Ocean. The spacecraft reignited its engines, flipped to a vertical position, and gently settled into the water — remaining intact and transmitting telemetry even as it bobbed on the waves.

“That is the softest splashdown we have ever had with Starship in the Indian Ocean,” Huot said, calling it a “dream scenario.” Previous Starship flights had ended with the vehicle engulfed in flames or exploding at splashdown.

SpaceX engineer Kate Tice expressed her excitement during the webcast, calling it “lucky flight 13.” On social media, CEO Elon Musk wrote, “We got all the heat shield data we needed and then some!”

Why This Flight Matters

The successful test brings Starship closer to operational status. Each successful V3 flight reduces schedule risk for NASA’s Artemis program, which has selected Starship as the Human Landing System for lunar missions. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated SpaceX on the flight, writing on X that “When Starship comes online, its capabilities will be game-changing.”

The launch also carried significance for SpaceX’s business prospects. USA Today reported that once operational, Starship will be capable of deploying up to 60 Starlink V3 satellites per launch — a massive increase over the 29 typically carried by Falcon 9 rockets. The V3 satellites, weighing approximately 2,000 kilograms each, are designed to greatly expand network capacity and user speeds.

SpaceX is also preparing to launch Starship from Florida, with the first launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A possible by the end of 2026.

Challenges Ahead

Despite the progress, significant hurdles remain. The Super Heavy booster continues to struggle with engine relight reliability, a critical capability for landings. Starship has yet to achieve a full orbital flight, demonstrate in-space refueling, or test crewed configurations. SpaceX must also return a Starship to Earth and catch it using the “Mechazilla” launch tower arms — a feat already accomplished with Super Heavy boosters.

For NASA’s Artemis III mission, currently targeted for 2027, Starship must complete an orbital docking test with the Orion capsule. Artemis IV, planned for 2028, would see Starship actually land astronauts on the lunar surface.

Looking Forward

With Flight 13 in the books, SpaceX will analyze the extensive data collected — particularly from the heat shield sensors and the Starlink deployment — before planning Flight 14. Each test brings the company closer to its goal of a fully reusable launch system capable of transforming access to space.

As Huot summed up during the webcast: “Lucky number 13. Hell of a great day for Starship.”