SpaceX is targeting Thursday, July 16, 2026, for the 13th flight test of its Starship rocket system. The 90-minute launch window opens at 6:45 p.m. ET. Every mission represents a vital step in the testing program, with the newly public company facing increased pressure to deliver on its business plan and fulfill government commitments.
During this launch, the Super Heavy booster will attempt a full ascent, separation, and return sequence. Its primary objective is to execute a controlled landing burn over the Gulf of Mexico. The company aims to correct the issues encountered during Flight 12 in May, when a startup anomaly caused the booster to end its return sequence early and crash into the water. SpaceX engineers have updated both the hardware and the software to improve engine relight reliability.
The Starship upper stage also has a busy flight plan. It will attempt to deploy 20 next-generation Starlink V3 internet satellites for the first time. These new satellites are designed to expand global network capacity and user speeds. Once deployed in space, the satellites will extend their solar panels and test laser communications before burning up in the atmosphere about 20 minutes later. Starship will also attempt to relight its single Raptor engine while in space, and perform a controlled entry, descent, and splashdown in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX stated that “there have also been several modifications to Starship’s propulsion system to address the engine out issue experienced on the previous flight.”
This mission will also test the thermal protection system, which shields the ship from extreme heat when returning to Earth. Six of the deployed satellites carry cameras designed to look back at the ship and photograph its protective tiles.
“Several upgrades and experiments related to Starship’s heatshield will also be tested to continue iteration towards a fully and rapidly reusable design,” SpaceX noted on its mission page.
To gather safety data, engineers painted several tiles white to simulate missing pieces. They also installed special load-sensing tiles to measure high pressure during the climb to low-Earth orbit.
These tests build directly on the mixed results of the previous launch. During Flight 12, the Starship upper stage successfully reached a suborbital path and managed a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean, even though one of its vacuum-optimized engines shut down early.
Every test brings SpaceX closer to offering operational flights which the company hopes is by the end of 2026.