SpaceX Set for 13th Starship Flight From Starbase

SpaceX is set to attempt its 13th Starship flight from Starbase, Texas, with a 6:45 p.m. ET launch window after weather delays including Tropical Storm Bertha and a prior last-minute abort that required engine swaps and countdown adjustments. The mission will test Starship and the Super Heavy booster, carrying 20 next-generation Starlink Version 3 satellites and featuring an in-space Raptor engine relight as a milestone toward a fully reusable launch system. SpaceX has redirected resources toward Starship, reducing Falcon 9 launches in 2026 to focus on the new vehicle and Starlink expansion, including transitioning Florida facilities to Starship operations and shifting remaining Falcon 9 duties to Vandenberg. The 13th flight follows the 12th, which ended with an uncontrolled booster landing and prompted hardware and software updates to address relight and boostback issues. If successful, the flight would advance Starship toward Artemis-III objectives and broader lunar and deep-space capabilities alongside expanded Starlink capacity. Multiple outlets have tracked the delays and upgrades, underscoring the high-stakes push to validate Starship’s performance ahead of commercial and NASA milestones.