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Starbase, Texas — SpaceX is preparing for the thirteenth integrated flight test of its Starship vehicle, with liftoff currently scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2026. The 90-minute launch window opens at 5:45 p.m. CT from Pad 2 at the company’s Starbase facility in South Texas.

A live webcast will begin approximately 30 minutes before the opening of the window on SpaceX’s website and X account. As with all developmental tests, the schedule remains dynamic and could shift to backup dates, such as July 17, if needed.

Mission Overview

This flight builds directly on Flight 12 (May 22, 2026), which introduced Starship and Super Heavy Version 3 hardware. Key objectives include:

– Booster (Super Heavy B20): Successful ascent, hot-staging separation, boostback burn, and a controlled landing burn leading to an offshore splashdown in the Gulf of America. Hardware and software updates address issues observed on the previous flight, such as engine relight reliability.

– Starship Upper Stage (S40): Deployment of 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites (six equipped with cameras to image the heat shield), a Raptor engine relight demonstration in space, and a controlled entry, descent, and splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The mission remains suborbital.

Success would mark another step toward rapid reusability, with future flights eyeing the first attempt at catching the Super Heavy booster with the tower’s “chopsticks” arms.

Recent Preparations

The FAA recently closed its review of Flight 12 and cleared Starship Flight 13 after accepting SpaceX’s corrective actions. Booster 20 completed a 33-engine static fire, and the vehicle stack has undergone final testing.

SpaceX continues to iterate quickly on Starship, aiming for full and rapid reusability to enable ambitious goals including satellite deployment, crewed missions to the Moon, and eventual Mars exploration.

Weather and technical factors could still influence the exact timing within the launch window. The public can safely watch Flight 13 from Isla Blanca Park at South Padre Island, Texas, as well as public beach access locations at the Island.

This test represents continued progress in one of the most ambitious human spaceflight programs currently underway.