SpaceX completes 13th Starship test flight, deploys 20 Starlink V3 satellites

Published Jul 25, 02:17 AM UTC

SpaceX conducted its 13th test flight of the massive Starship rocket on July 24, 2026, from Starbase, Texas, marking the first such flight since the company's record IPO last month. The Super Heavy booster detached about two minutes into flight and made a hard splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico after only a subset of its engines reignited. The Starship upper stage achieved a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean, remaining intact and providing views of an intact heatshield for the first time. About 18 minutes into the flight, SpaceX successfully deployed 20 new Starlink V3 satellites into orbit, which were designed to burn up after 20 minutes. These satellites are larger and more powerful than earlier versions. The test flight is crucial for SpaceX's ambitions to expand Starlink, return astronauts to the moon, and eventually power Mars missions. However, SpaceX stock has dropped 43% from its June peak, and experts note the company still faces challenges in achieving rapid reusability.