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 flight after implementing hardware and software modifications to address issues encountered during Flight 12, primarily with the Super Heavy booster's flip and engine relight.
The mission objectives for Flight 13 include ensuring a successful Super Heavy booster landing, relighting a Starship engine in space, pushing the heat shield to its limits with new configurations, and deploying real Starlink satellites equipped with cameras to monitor the ship's health.
Success on Flight 13 is crucial for validating Starship V3's capabilities, which are essential for SpaceX's ambitious goals of commercial LEO deployments, achieving full reusability, demonstrating orbital propellant transfer, and fulfilling its role as a candidate for NASA's lunar Human Landing System.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.