SpaceX Starship Flight 13 launch updates: It's launch day (again) for SpaceX's next Starship

SpaceX is back on the launch pad at Starbase, Texas, preparing for the 13th test flight of the Starship megarocket. After previous attempts faced technical hurdles and weather delays, the team is set for liftoff on Friday, July 24, at 6:45 p.m. EDT.

The mission will follow a profile similar to past tests, with the Super Heavy booster targeting a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico while the Ship upper stage concludes its flight in the Indian Ocean. This test holds significance for the company as it works toward goals like orbital refueling and eventual lunar landings for NASA.

This specific flight also features a new payload: 20 Starlink Version 3 satellites. These satellites are designed to deploy from a payload bay and include high-resolution cameras to capture live footage of the Starship heat shield during the intense ascent phase. Teams spent the last week replacing Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster to ensure the vehicle is ready for the ignition sequence.

The timing of this flight carries historical weight, occurring on the 57th anniversary of the Apollo 11 crew returning to Earth. SpaceX continues to iterate on its hardware with each launch, focusing on system reliability and the goal of achieving a rapid flight cadence.