SpaceX Launches Starship Flight 13, Step Forward In Bid To Build Reusable Spacecraft For Moon And Mars Journeys

SpaceX launched Starship Flight 13 At 4:21 am IST on Saturday, July 25, 2026, with the massive vehicle departing Boca Chica, Texas. The test supports the company's plans to build reusable spacecraft for transporting people and equipment to the Moon and Mars.

The liftoff succeeded after a brief delay. Days earlier, technicians aborted a scheduled launch at the final second after detecting an engine startup malfunction during the terminal countdown.

The suborbital flight served a dual purpose, carrying 20 next-generation Starlink Version 3 satellites and also testing essential systems required for future commercial operations.

Booster Splashdown Faces Issues

The first major milestone occurred over two minutes after liftoff when the lower booster section separated from the upper Starship spacecraft.

Following separation, Booster 20 changed course. The vehicle decelerated as it aimed for a targeted landing in the Gulf of Mexico.

The landing failed after Booster 20 suffered ignition problems during its descent burn when several Raptor engines failed to fire. This glitch prevented a smooth, guided splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

Satellites Deployed In Space

The upper spacecraft kept climbing, soon deactivating its engines to enter a coasting phase. During this period, the vehicle drifted silently through space without using any propulsion.

While drifting in this coasting phase, the ship successfully released 20 Starlink Version 3 satellites into space. This deployment allowed the new satellites to unfold their panels and test their space lasers.

The final phase came after over an hour of launch, when the Starship spacecraft plunged back through the atmosphere and made its final splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Flight 13 is another step towards making Starship a fully operational launch vehicle. Unlike earlier flights focused primarily on proving the vehicle could survive launch and re-entry, this mission expanded the rocket's operational capabilities by testing payload deployment and engine relight in space.

SpaceX will now analyse the lessons from the mission, including the booster's planned splashdown, the upper stage's performance, satellite deployment and Starship's controlled re-entry into the Indian Ocean. The company is expected to release further updates as each mission milestone is completed.