SpaceX Debuts 20 Starlink V3 Satellites on Starship Flight 13 as Orbital Push Nears
Updated
Updated · Spaceflight Now · Jul 14
SpaceX Debuts 20 Starlink V3 Satellites on Starship Flight 13 as Orbital Push Nears
3 articles · Updated · Spaceflight Now · Jul 14
Summary
Thursday’s Flight 13 will use Starship’s second third-generation vehicle to deploy 20 production Starlink V3 satellites on a suborbital path, with liftoff from Starbase set for a 90-minute window opening at 2245 UTC.
Those satellites will briefly extend solar arrays and antennas and try to link to the wider Starlink network via lasers before burning up on reentry about 20 minutes after deployment.
Booster 20 and Ship 40 are both flying for the first time, and SpaceX will also retry a Raptor upper-stage relight and a controlled booster splashdown after Flight 12 failed to complete both objectives.
SpaceX said it modified engine relight hardware, alarms and abort logic, and updated heat-shield tiles and attachment systems after May’s flight lost Booster 19 and saw one vacuum engine shut down.
Flight 13 could shape whether SpaceX attempts an orbital mission as soon as Flight 14 and matters for NASA’s Artemis 3 timeline, with investors also watching after the company’s Nasdaq debut.
Can SpaceX's 'fail-fast' approach deliver a human-rated Starship in time for NASA's 2027 moon mission?
How will deploying real satellites on this suborbital flight accelerate Starlink's path to market dominance?
As test flight anomalies persist, will the FAA be forced to slow down SpaceX's aggressive launch pace?
Starship Flight 13: Pioneering Reusable Spaceflight and Starlink V3 Deployment in 2026
Overview
Starship Flight 13, scheduled for July 16, 2026, is a major test for SpaceX’s fully integrated Starship system. This mission will not only test the reliability of the rocket but also launch next-generation Starlink V3 satellites for the first time. The flight aims to advance the development of a fully reusable space transport system by executing a complete flight profile for the Super Heavy booster and deploying advanced satellites. By combining vehicle and satellite testing in one mission, SpaceX is taking a significant step toward rapid, reusable spaceflight and expanding global internet coverage.