SpaceX Returns Starship Flight 13 Booster 20 to Hangar Ahead of July 16 Launch
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Jul 14
SpaceX Returns Starship Flight 13 Booster 20 to Hangar Ahead of July 16 Launch
2 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jul 14
Summary
Booster 20 was lowered from Starbase’s launch stand and moved back to its hangar after a July 10 static-fire test, with SpaceX still targeting Flight 13 for liftoff no earlier than July 16.
The return is for final checkouts before the Super Heavy rolls back to the pad with Ship 40 and undergoes at least one more engine test.
Flight 13 is set to launch from Starbase, Texas, during a 90-minute window opening at 6:45 p.m. EDT, with SpaceX’s webcast starting about 30 minutes before liftoff.
The mission will be the 13th Starship test flight since 2023 and the second launch of the larger, more powerful Version 3 configuration, less than two months after its debut.
With a $15B price tag, can this test flight prove Starship's revolutionary reusability is viable?
How will Starship's success redefine global travel and access to space for ordinary people?
Is Starship's ultimate purpose exploring the Moon and Mars or ensuring military dominance in space?
SpaceX Starship Flight 13: Next-Gen V3 Hardware, First Starlink V3 Deployment, and the Stakes of Public Markets
Overview
Starship Flight 13, scheduled for July 16, 2026, is a major step in SpaceX’s plan to make Starship a fully reusable launch system. This mission will test important upgrades and gather key engineering data, moving Starship closer to carrying payloads to Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars. For the first time, Starship will deploy real satellites from its upper stage, showing progress beyond earlier test flights. These efforts support SpaceX’s goal of building a powerful, reusable rocket system, marking significant progress in their ongoing development campaign.