It’s launch day (again) for SpaceX Starship Flight 13
SpaceX says it’s ready once more to try and launch its next Starship test flight from Starbase, Texas, with liftoff on track for 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT) today, July 24.
This will be Starship’s 13th test flight, and while we’re not superstitious here (neither is SpaceX as they’re also prepping their Crew-13 astronaut launch for NASA) the mission has had a run of bad luck.
On July 16, when SpaceX first attempted to launch the flight, the megarocket aborted the liftoff when several engines failed to ignite. SpaceX ultimately replaced at least two of Super Heavy booster’s Raptor engines in a bid to try again on July 23. But yesterday’s launch try was called off before it began because if bad weather over the South Texas launch site.
SpaceX wants clear skies and clear visibility to be able to see Starship’s launch and (hopefully) the Super Heavy booster’s return to Earth for a controlled landing and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
And so, here we are, Space Fans. Waiting once more for SpaceX’s Starship Flight 13 launch. It should be sight to behold (Starship is the world’s largest and most powerful rocket). SpaceX will need to greatly ramp up its flight rate in order not only to put Starship in orbit, but also return it to Earth for a land landing, reuse and in-orbit refueling to make it ready to land Artemis IV astronauts on the moon by 2028.
Here’s fun space history note: Starship Flight 13’s original July 16 launch date was on the 57th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch for NASA’s first-ever crewed moon landing mission. Today’s launch date, July 24, is the 57th anniversary of the Apollo 11 crew’s return to Earth in 1969.
STARSHIP DELAY! Bad weather pushes SpaceX Flight 13 launch to July 24
SpaceX just pushed the planned launch of its Starship Flight 13 test flight back at least 24 hours, to no earlier than Friday, July 24, due to weather concerns.
The Starship test flight is now scheduled to launch Friday at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT), with a livestream beginning at about 6:12 p.m. EDT (2212 GMT).
“Now targeting Friday, July 24 for Starship’s thirteenth flight test, due to weather,” SpaceX wrote in an update on social media. “A key objective for the flight test is to get clear imagery from the ground of Starship’s heatshield as it flies at a higher dynamic pressure during ascent, which won’t be possible with today’s weather conditions. Visibility is forecast to be ideal for a Friday attempt.”
You’ll be able to watch the launch live on this page at launch time.
Now targeting Friday, July 24 for Starship’s thirteenth flight test, due to weather.A key objective for the flight test is to get clear imagery from the ground of Starship’s heatshield as it flies at a higher dynamic pressure during ascent, which won’t be possible with today’s… pic.twitter.com/O4qyJaXjVsJuly 23, 2026
SpaceX’s towering Starship ready for Flight 13 test launch
Hey, Space Fans! It’s launch day once again for SpaceX’s Starship Flight 13 test flight, with liftoff currently set for 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT).
Just like last week, we’ll have a livestream from SpaceX live on this page starting at about 6:12 p.m. EDT (2212 GMT). SpaceX has a 90-minute window for today’s launch once more. You can see our full preview of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 13 for details on what to expect.
SpaceX attempted to launch Starship Flight 13 on July 16, but the rocket aborted its launch at the last second when several of its 33 first stage Raptor engines did not ignite as planned. SpaceX stood down for a week to replace a few suspect engines and here we are again.
Today’s Starship test flight will last just over an hour, but will not enter orbit. Instead, Starship and Super Heavy will follow similar flight profiles of the most recent SpaceX test flights, with the Super Heavy first stage making a controlled landing and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico while the Ship upper stage makes a similar water landing in the Indian Ocean, west of Australia.
One new thing to watch for on this flight are SpaceX’s Starlink Version 3, or Starlink V3, satellites. This mission is carrying 20 of the Starlink V3 internet satellites and will deploy them from its PEZ dispenser-like payload bay door. Six of the satellites carry high-resolution cameras to beam live views of Starship’s heat shield and exterior back to Earth. All 20 carry solar arrays and laser links to try and connect with the Starlink network, but will deorbit on the same flight path as Starship, SpaceX has said.
So be sure to join us this evening for Starship Flight 13. In the meantime, here’s some stunning sunset photos from last night as shared by SpaceX:
SpaceX completes Super Heavy testing, targets July 23 for Starship Flight 13
Starship Flight 13 is still on for tomorrow (July 23), weather permitting.
At its Starbase site today (July 22), SpaceX wrapped up testing with the Super Heavy first stage that will conduct Flight 13. And things went well, according to the company.
“Additional preflight testing on Super Heavy complete. Now starting preparations to launch Starship as soon as tomorrow, Thursday, July 23. Weather is currently a significant watch item for launch,” SpaceX said today in a post on X, the social media platform owned by company founder and CEO Elon Musk.
Liftoff is scheduled during a 90-minute window tomorrow that opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT). You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX.
SpaceX first tried to launch Starship Flight 13 last Thursday (July 16), but the vehicle experienced an abort just after attempting to ignite Super Heavy’s 33 Raptor engines. SpaceX swapped out two of those Raptors, then conducted today’s “additional testing” to make sure everything is good to go.
Booster 20 undergoing tests at the pad
SpaceX is on track for Starship’s Flight 13 tomorrow (July 23), and is progressing toward the mission’s 90-minute launch window that begins at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT).
Booster 20 returned to the launch pad at Starbase and is undergoing testing today (July 22), ahead of tomorrow’s launch attempt. At least three of the Raptor 3 engines on the rocket stage were swapped out after the first Flight 13 launch attempt, which was aborted at T-0 when four engines failed to ignite.
Thanks to livestreams setup at Starbase, available through coverage provided by NASA Space Flight (NSF) and on the NSF YouTube channel, it appears that Booster 20 is undergoing a fueling test and possible hot fire this afteroon, which, if successful, will pave the way for Ship 40’s arrival at the pad and the two vehicles’ stacking before Thursday’s launch.
How to watch SpaceX launch Starship Flight 13 on July 23
Watch On
SpaceX targets Starship launch on July 23
After their assessment over the weekend, destacking Ship and Super Heavy vehicles, rolling them back to the hangar, and swapping out some of Super Heavy’s Raptor 3 engines, SpaceX is not targeting later this week for the Flight 13 launch of its massive Starship rocket.
SpaceX Starship Flight-13’s next launch attempt is scheduled for Thursday, July 23, according to a company social media post .
Now targeting to launch Starship’s thirteenth flight test as early as Thursday, July 23 → https://t.co/Rp7VwBzpWx pic.twitter.com/Y0YNzfc5zkJuly 19, 2026
SpaceX targeting July 20 for Starship Flight 13 test launch
We have a new (tentative) launch date: After a last-second abort scuttled SpaceX’s first attempt to launch Starship Flight 13 yesterday (July 17), the company is now targeting no earlier than Monday (July 20) for the liftoff. The 90-minute launch window opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT; 5:45 p.m. local time).
You can watch the launch here at Space.com when the time comes and learn about the mission in our Flight 13 preview.
Yesterday’s abort was triggered when several of the 33 Raptor engines on Starship’s first-stage booster failed to ignite as planned, according to SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk. “To be confident of a good flight, 2 Raptors will be removed & replaced,” Musk said via X, the social media platform he owns, shortly after yesterday’s abort.
July 20 is a very meaningful date in spaceflight history, by the way. Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, and NASA’s robotic Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars exactly seven years later.
SpaceX assessing new launch date
Following the last-second scrub of last night’s Starship Flight 13 launch, SpaceX stood down from Thursday’s launch attempt.
It was not immediately clear what caused the automated abort, but SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted to social media shortly after the launch was called off, saying a failure of a few of Straship’s Raptor 3 engines failed to light at ignition. “Next launch attempt hopefully in a few days,” Musk said in a post.
He clarified later yesterday evening, saying, “To be confident of a good flight, 2 Raptors will be removed & replaced. Most probable launch timing is early next week.”
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 13 test launch aborts at last second (video)
To be confident of a good flight, 2 Raptors will be removed & replaced. Most probable launch timing is early next week.July 17, 2026
SCRUB
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 13 is scrubbed for the day.
At T-0, the rocket’s automated flight computer initiated a hold and abort call. It isn’t immediately clear what caused the abort, but its execution so far into the countdown means a scrub for the day. “We did trigger a hold on the booster that aborted our liftoff as we were starting to light those Raptor engines,” SpaceX livestream host Dan Huot said.
“At this point,” Huot said as the coverage ended, “they’re going to get into [propellant] offload. We’re gonna get all the methane, all the oxygen off the vehicle, and then we’ll figure out next steps.”
A new launch date for Starship Flight 13 has not been determined.
T-1 minute to launch!
SpaceX has entered the terminal count for Starship! Just one minute to go until Starship Flight 13 liftoff! Let’s go!
SpaceX not tracking any issues
SpaceX is fueling Starship for Flight 13 right now, and is not tracking any issues as the opening of the launch window approaches. The day began with a 90% probability of favorable launch conditions, according the SpaceX livestream host Dan Huot, who is voicing confidence in the success of today’s mission.
According to SpaceX commentators, success on today’s mission will open the door for “near future orbital flights” and the first-ever attempt to catch Starship’s Ship upper stage using the launch tower at Starbase’s pad 2.
Barring any delays in fueling or weather constraints, Starship is scheduled to lift off at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT). The launch window extends for 90 minutes.
Super Heavy booster propellant load had begun
SpaceX has begun loading cryogenic fuel into the Super Heavy booster at Starbase’s pad 2. Starship uses a mixture of liquid methane and liquix oxygen, together known as “methalox,” to power both Super Heavy and Ship stages of Starship.
SpaceX Straship Flight 13 launch stream is live
Watch On
Live coverage has begun for SpaceX’s Starship Flight 13! You can watch the action and follow along with live updates here, and on the Space.com homepage. SpaceX’s direct stream is available on the company’s website.
Liftoff is currently set for 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT), with a launch window that extends to 8:15 p.m. EDT (0015 GMT, July 17).
Starship Flight 13 on track for launch
Image credit: SpaceX
Image credit: SpaceX
Image credit: SpaceX
SpaceX is moving ahead today with Starship Flight 13, according to a post on the company’s social media page. Beach and road closures around Starbase close to the public this afternoon around 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT), clearing all but essential personnel from the surrounding facility.
A 90-minute launch window will open at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT), with several opportunities for teams to reset if liftoff doesn’t occur at the top of the window. SpaceX’s livestream is expected to begin about 30 minutes before launch, and will be simulcast here on Space.com.
SpaceX stacks massive Starship rocket ahead of today’s Flight 13 test launch (video)
On track for Starship’s 13th flight test later today – the 90-minute launch window opens at 5:45 p.m. CT. Live coverage starts ~30 minutes before launch https://t.co/QF9Qolqlvp pic.twitter.com/9drzTb14C0July 16, 2026
SpaceX stacks Starship overnight (video)
Image credit: SpaceX
Image credit: SpaceX
SpaceX has released photos and video of last night’s Starship stacking. Super Heavy 20 was rolled back to pad 2 yesterday (July 15), with Ship 40 following its trail after sunset. Both recently completed static test fires of the Raptor 3 engines, followed by final prelaunch checkouts back at their respective hangars.
Now that both have been transported to the launch pad and stacked, SpaceX is preparing the rocket and ground infrastructure for liftoff.
The Flight 13 launch window opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT), and will last for up to 90 minutes.
Stacking Starship for Flight 13 pic.twitter.com/L4XN6gqgRtJuly 16, 2026
Starship stacked, awaiting launch countdown
SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket is stacked and ready for this evening’s Flight 13 launch. Booster 20, the Super Heavy vehicle supporting the mission, was rolled back to Starbase’s pad 2 yesterday, with the upper stage Ship 40 joining the booster overnight, when the two were stacked for (hopefully) the final time before liftoff.
SpaceX is progressing toward a 90-minute launch window that opens today (July 16) at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT). The mission can be streamed live here on Space.com, or directly via SpaceX on the Flight 13 website and the company’s X account. Read our full mission breakdown for a complete mission profile:
SpaceX readying Starship to launch in just over 24 hours
Starship’s next big test launch is just a day away.
SpaceX has transported Booster 20, the Super Heavy first stage for the massive launch vehicle, back to pad 2 at the company’s Starbase facility in Texas. If all goes according to plan, that will be its last relocation before launch, currently scheduled for tomorrow (July 15) during a 90-minute launch window beginning at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT).
Ship 40, Starship’s upper stage for Flight 13, will be trasnported to the pad today, and stacked on Super Heavy for a full wet dress rehearsal to confirm the vehicle’s readiness ahead of tomorrow’s launch attempt.
What time is SpaceX’s Starship Flight 13 launch on July 16? (Full mission timeline)
Super Heavy booster moved back to hangar
Following a static fire engine test last Friday (July 10), SpaceX has lowered the Flight 13 Super Heavy, Booster 20, from the launch stand and transported the stage back to its hangar at the company’s Starbase, Texas, facility.
The booster will roll back to the pad in the next day or so, along with Ship 40, the Flight 13 Starship upper stage. The pair will be stacked a Starbase’s pad 2, where it’s expected the rocket will undergo at least one additional engine test prior to launch.
SpaceX is still targeting July 16 for liftoff of Starship’s 13th test flight, scheduled to get off the ground during a 90-minute window that opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT).
How to watch SpaceX launch Starship Flight 13 on July 16
SpaceX targeting July 16 for Starship Flight 13
The next Starship launch has arrived!
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than July 16 for the next launch of its massive Starship rocket, the company announced on in a post on X. Flight 13 will be the second launch of the vehicle’s Version 3 configuration and will be similar in profile to Flight 12. It will be the second launch for Starship “Version 3” (V3), a bigger, more powerful upgrade from previous Starship designs, and will come a little less than two months after V3’s debut.
A 90-minute launch window will begin on Thursday at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT). A livestream of the mission will begin about 30 minutes prior to liftoff and stream on the company’s mission page, profile on X and here on Space.com.
Full story: SpaceX targets July 16 for Starship Flight 13, reveals what went wrong on previous launch
