SpaceX targets Friday, July 24, for the thirteenth Starship test flight from its Starbase facility in Texas. The launch follows a July 16 engine ignition failure and a July 23 weather delay.
This suborbital mission will deploy 20 next-generation V3 Starlink satellites for the first time. These satellites aim to increase Starlink network capacity and internet speeds. Deployment will occur on a suborbital path with atmospheric re-entry expected 20 minutes later.
The mission tests V3 versions of the Starship upper stage and Super Heavy booster. The Super Heavy booster will attempt a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. The Starship upper stage targets a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.