SpaceX Starship Flight 13 launch updates: It's launch day (again) for SpaceX's next Starship
Space • • business
Key Points:
- SpaceX is set to attempt the launch of Starship Flight 13 from Starbase, Texas, on July 24 at 6:45 p.m. EDT after previous delays due to engine ignition failures and bad weather.
- The mission will not reach orbit but will follow a flight profile similar to recent tests, with the Super Heavy booster performing a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico and the Starship upper stage landing in the Indian Ocean.
- Flight 13 will carry 20 Starlink Version 3 satellites, including six equipped with high-resolution cameras to provide live views of the heat shield and exterior during flight.
- SpaceX replaced at least two Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster following the initial aborted launch attempt on July 16, and completed additional preflight testing before rescheduling the launch.
- This test flight is critical for SpaceX’s goal to increase flight cadence, achieve orbital launches, and support future crewed lunar missions such as Artemis IV by 2028.
