SpaceX Plans 13th Starship Test Flight from Texas on July 16

SpaceX plans to launch the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket on Thursday, July 16, 2026, from its Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. The launch window opens from 6:45 to 8:15 p.m. ET.

The flight marks the second use of the Version 3 prototype, which stands 407 feet tall when stacked. The Super Heavy booster measures 236 feet and the upper-stage Starship measures 171 feet. The vehicle will carry 20 larger Starlink satellites, which will deploy solar arrays and antennas, attempt to connect with the Starlink constellation, and burn up in the atmosphere after about 20 minutes.

The Super Heavy booster will attempt a water landing in the Gulf of America about 20 miles offshore. The upper stage will fly halfway around the world before a planned landing in the Indian Ocean. Starship's previous flight test occurred on May 22, 2025.

During that mission, the upper stage deployed 20 mock Starlink satellites and two modified satellites that imaged Starship before landing and exploding as planned in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX is under contract with NASA to develop a lunar lander version of Starship known as the Human Landing System. NASA's Artemis III mission, which relies on Starship, is scheduled for 2027.

SpaceX and Blue Origin are competing to develop lunar landers for Artemis missions. SpaceX has not yet tested midflight propellant transfer between two Starships in orbit. The first Starship flight test occurred in April 2023.

In May 2025, Cameron County, Texas voters approved a measure recognizing SpaceX's headquarters as its own town.