SpaceX Starship Flight 13 deploys 20 Starlink V3 satellites; Super Heavy booster hard-splashes down

Published Jul 25, 02:17 AM UTC

SpaceX conducted the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket on July 24, 2026, from Starbase, Texas, marking the first test since the company's IPO last month. The Super Heavy booster made a hard splashdown in the Gulf after only a subset of engines ignited for landing. The Starship upper stage achieved a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean, providing the first intact heatshield views. During the flight, SpaceX successfully deployed 20 new Starlink V3 satellites, which are larger and more powerful than previous generations. The company is also developing Starmind satellites for orbital data centers. Starship is crucial for expanding Starlink, NASA's lunar missions, and eventual Mars missions. However, SpaceX's stock has fallen 43% from its June peak, and experts note the company still faces challenges in achieving rapid reusability.