Spacex's Starship 'Lucky 13' Flight Paves Way for Future Innovations

WHO:

Ars Technica - SpaceX, Elon Musk, Dan Huot, NASA

CNN - SpaceX

WHAT:

Ars Technica - SpaceX completed its 13th full-scale Starship test flight, achieving a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Ars Technica - The flight was the second for the latest iteration of Starship, known as Version 3.

CNN - The Super Heavy rocket booster detached from Starship two minutes into the flight and made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf.

Ars Technica - Starship's heat shield withstood temperatures up to 2,600° Fahrenheit (1,430° Celsius) during reentry.

Ars Technica - Starship deployed a stack of 20 Starlink satellites, which were the first of SpaceX’s upgraded Starlink V3 model.

WHERE:

Ars Technica - The flight launched from Starbase, Texas, and splashed down in a remote section of the Indian Ocean west of Australia.

CNN - The Super Heavy booster splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico.

WHEN:

Ars Technica - The launch occurred at 5:51 pm CDT on July 24, 2026.

CNN - This flight was the first for SpaceX as a publicly traded company.

WHY:

Ars Technica - SpaceX aims to refine the heat shield for rapid turnarounds and multiple flights per day.

CNN - SpaceX is under pressure to prepare Starship for a crucial NASA test flight next year that could lead to the next moon landing.

HOW:

Ars Technica - SpaceX engineers used drones to inspect the heat shield of Starship after splashdown.

Ars Technica - The Starlink satellites were deployed using a Pez-like deployer through a slit-like opening on the side of the spacecraft.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 19:22 UTC)

SpaceX has successfully completed its 13th full-scale Starship test flight, achieving a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean, while also deploying a stack of 20 upgraded Starlink V3 satellites. The flight, which launched from Starbase, Texas, saw the Super Heavy rocket booster detach and make a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, with Starship's heat shield enduring temperatures up to 2,600° Fahrenheit during reentry. This marks the first flight for SpaceX as a publicly traded company, as the team prepares for a crucial NASA test flight next year that could pave the way for the next moon landing.