NASA Incorporates Starship Test Flight 13 Into Lunar Lander Development
NASA monitors Starship test 13 progress toward lunar landing capabilities.
Event / Technology
SpaceX Starship Test Flight 13
SpaceX successfully launched Starship on its 13th test flight from Texas on July 24, 2026, deploying 20 Starlink V3 satellites and demonstrating in-space engine ignition. The mission advanced heat shield testing and expanded the operational Starlink constellation beyond 10,000 units, though the booster landing failed.
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2026-08-15 to 2026-11-12 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 25 Jul, 04:27 UTC
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What happened
Starship successfully ignites engine in space during test flight
Starship successfully re-lit one of its Raptor engines while in space during test flight 13, demonstrating a maneuver that will be needed for future orbital missions. All engines fired at liftoff and no engines shut down unexpectedly during the booster phase or spacecraft phase after separation.
SpaceX deploys 20 Starlink V3 satellites in orbit
SpaceX successfully deployed 20 of the most advanced Starlink satellites (V3 version) during Starship test flight 13. The satellites were ejected at 124 miles altitude and managed to communicate via laser links with older Starlink models already in orbit. Six of the newly launched satellites carried cameras to photograph Starship's heat shield during the flight.
Starship heat shield undergoes robustness testing in flight
Starship's heat shield was equipped with sensors to measure extreme pressure during launch. Most of the thermal tiles were black, but some were deliberately painted white to simulate missing tiles as part of an experiment to test the shield's robustness. Six newly launched Starlink satellites carried cameras to photograph the heat shield during ascent at high dynamic pressure.
SpaceX launches Starship test flight 13 from Texas
SpaceX launched Starship on its 13th test flight from the company's base at the southern tip of Texas. The 407-foot-tall rocket carried 20 of the most advanced Starlink satellites. The flight was delayed first by a launch abort on July 16 when four of the 33 Raptor engines on the first-stage booster failed to ignite, then again on July 23 due to adverse weather from Tropical Storm Bertha.
Starship booster fails controlled landing, crashes into Gulf of Mexico
The Super Heavy first-stage booster failed to reignite enough engines for a controlled return to the launch site during Starship test flight 13. The booster descended too fast and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX had replaced six of the 33 Raptor engines on the booster after the previous launch abort, but the return maneuver was not successful.
NASA monitors Starship test flight as part of lunar lander program
NASA monitored Starship test flight 13, identifying it as a critical step toward using Starship as a lunar lander for moon crews. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed support for the mission. NASA needs Starship to complete testing and reach orbit so Artemis III astronauts—three Americans and one Italian—can practice docking their capsule with it in the following year.
SpaceX operates world's largest satellite constellation with 10,000+ Starlinks
SpaceX currently operates more than 10,000 Starlink satellites, which the company describes as the world's largest satellite constellation providing internet services. The deployment of 20 additional Starlink V3 satellites during test flight 13 continued expanding this constellation.
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2 alternative perspectives
Starship Booster Misses Controlled Landing, Crashes Into Gulf
Starship booster crash-landed in Gulf of Mexico during test flight 13 landing attempt.
Starship Test Flight 13 Validates Engine and Heat Shield Performance
Starship test 13 achieved in-space engine ignition and heat shield testing while deploying 20 Starlinks.