SpaceX Targets Starship Return to Form on Flight 13

Company completed an FAA-required mishap investigation and made several changes to the rocket after an anomaly in May.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

SpaceX is gearing up for the 13th test flight of Starship and its second in the rocket’s Version 3 (V3) configuration. [Credit: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX is preparing for Starship Flight 13, a critical test of its V3 configuration, which is essential for future commercial Starlink deployments and potential NASA lunar missions.
The previous Flight 12 experienced mixed results, successfully reaching orbit but suffering a Super Heavy booster anomaly and an engine loss on Starship, leading to an FAA grounding that has since been cleared.
For Flight 13, SpaceX has implemented hardware and software modifications to address Flight 12's issues, aiming to achieve successful booster recovery, relight a Starship engine in space, test various heat shield integrations, and deploy real Starlink satellites with diagnostic cameras.

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SpaceX announced it made several hardware and software modifications to its massive Starship rocket as it prepares for what could be the vehicle’s most critical test flight yet.

The launch provider said over the weekend it is targeting a 90-minute launch window that opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT on Thursday for Starship Flight 13, which is a precursor to more ambitious missions the company has planned for 2026. SpaceX said the mission will have “similar objectives” to Flight 12 in May, which was the first test of Starship’s larger, more powerful Version 3 (V3) configuration.