SpaceX to Deploy 20 Starlink V3 Satellites on Starship Flight 13 This Week

SpaceX is gearing up for the 13th flight test of its massive Starship rocket, with a launch scheduled as early as Thursday, July 16, 2026. The 90-minute launch window is set to open at 5:45 p.m. Central Time from the company’s launch site.

This upcoming mission introduces a major upgrade for the program. For the first time, the newly upgraded Starship V3 vehicle will carry a functional payload into space, deploying 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites. These new satellites aim to significantly expand network capacity and boost internet speeds for global users.

Engineers have spent the weeks leading up to this flight addressing technical hiccups that occurred during Flight 12. In that previous test, a slight timing issue during stage separation caused the booster to flip 90 degrees offline, and five engines failed to relight during its return trip. SpaceX has since modified the hardware and software startup sequences to ensure a smoother separation and more reliable engine performance.

The flight plan for Flight 13 remains highly ambitious. The Super Heavy booster will attempt a controlled landing burn at an offshore point in the Gulf of America. Meanwhile, the upper Starship vehicle will push into a suborbital path, deploy its satellite payload, and attempt to relight a single Raptor engine while coasting in space.

A unique experiment is also packed into this mission to test the heat shield’s durability. Six of the onboard Starlink satellites are equipped with specialized cameras designed to look back and scan Starship’s belly, sending live imagery down to teams on Earth. To assist the cameras, engineers have painted several thermal tiles white to simulate missing pieces and give the sensors a clear targeting mechanism.

The upper stage will eventually wrap up its journey with a controlled entry and splashdown in the Indian Ocean. A live broadcast of the flight test will begin online roughly 30 minutes before liftoff.