SpaceX completes 13th Starship test flight, deploying satellites and achieving soft ocean landing

SpaceX launched the Starship V3 vehicle on its 13th integrated test flight from the company's Starbase facility in South Texas on Friday, July 24, at 6:51 p.m. ET, after two postponements caused by engine issues and tropical-storm weather. The 236-foot Super Heavy booster ignited all 33 Raptor engines and lifted the 407-foot stacked rocket before separating from the upper stage.

The booster attempted a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, but five engines failed to relight, resulting in a higher-than-planned impact speed. Dan Huot, a SpaceX spokesperson, said during the livestream, "We were targeting a softer splashdown, and as you saw it came in with quite a bit of velocity still."

The upper stage then fired its six Raptor engines, entered orbit for about an hour and released 20 third-generation Starlink satellites, which communicated with the existing network before re-entering the atmosphere and burning up. The stage also performed a fourth-ever in-space reignition of a single Raptor engine to adjust its trajectory and return to Earth.

Guided by its aerodynamic flaps, the upper stage re-entered and completed a soft water landing in the Indian Ocean, remaining largely intact and allowing inspection of its heat shield. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted a photo of the launch with the Moon visible, noting that Starship’s capabilities could be "game-changing" for future lunar missions.