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SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Launch Date: Everything You Need to Know
SpaceX is gearing up for its next big milestone as Starship Flight 13 preparations are well underway at Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX is moving fast. Really fast. Even before the smoke from Starship Flight 12 had cleared, engineers at Starbase were already deep into preparations for SpaceX Starship Flight 13 — and the timeline is tighter than you might expect.
So when exactly is Starship Flight 13 launching, what will it carry, and why does it matter? Here’s the full breakdown.
SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Launch Date: What We Know So Far
Right now, Starship Flight 13 does not have an official confirmed launch date, but multiple sources are pointing toward a July 2026 NET (No Earlier Than) window — with some outlets listing July 31, 2026 as a placeholder date.
SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell herself gave the clearest indication yet, stating in a CNBC interview that Flight 13 could happen in “maybe a month” following the Flight 12 mission on May 22, 2026. That puts the realistic target firmly in the July–August 2026 window.
The launch will take place from Orbital Launch Pad 2 (Pad B) at Starbase, located near Brownsville, Texas.
What Went Wrong on Flight 12 — And Why It Changes Flight 13
To understand Flight 13, you first need to know what happened on Flight 12.
Starship Flight 12 launched on May 22, 2026, and while it marked the debut of the new Starship Version 3 (Block 3)vehicles, it didn’t go entirely to plan. Ship 39 experienced an engine-out event during ascent, which prevented it from completing the planned in-space engine relight. Meanwhile, Booster 19 failed to execute its boostback burn properly, meaning it splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico rather than being caught by the launch tower’s mechanical arms.
The good news? The V3 upper stage — the Ship itself — proved it works. The bad news? The booster still needs more work before SpaceX attempts a catch.
As a result, Shotwell confirmed that Flight 13 will repeat the same suborbital flight profile as Flight 12, rather than attempting an orbital trajectory. The goal is to get the booster working reliably before pushing further.
Meet the Vehicles: Booster 20 and Ship 40
Flight 13 will feature two brand-new V3 vehicles: Super Heavy Booster 20 (B20) and Starship Ship 40 (S40).
Ship 40 has been in preparation since late 2025. It completed its nosecone TPS tile installation in November 2025, was fully stacked inside Mega Bay 2 by March 2026, and successfully passed two cryogenic proof tests on May 4 and 5, 2026. Its six Raptor 3 engines were installed in early June. A static fire test is expected to be its final major validation step before launch.
Booster 20, meanwhile, completed its own cryogenic proof testing — including a three-hour propellant hold test that went well beyond standard procedures — and returned to the production facility to receive its full stack of 33 Raptor engines. A static fire for B20 is expected sometime in late June, according to NASASpaceflight tracking sources.
If both vehicles clear their static fire tests without issues, Flight 13 could launch before the end of summer 2026.
What Is the Mission Profile for Flight 13?
Based on Gwynne Shotwell’s confirmation, Flight 13 will essentially be a do-over of Flight 12 — a suborbital test flight designed to:
- Prove the V3 booster can successfully complete a boostback burn
- Demonstrate in-space engine relight capability for the upper stage
- Gather more data on both vehicles’ thermal performance and structural integrity
Elon Musk has previously stated on X that a Ship catch attempt — where the tower’s mechazilla arms catch the returning upper stage — is being targeted for somewhere between Flights 13 and 15, depending on how the data plays out. However, given the issues on Flight 12, a catch attempt on Flight 13 is considered unlikely. That milestone is now more realistically being pushed toward Flight 14 or 15.
Shotwell also hinted that Flight 14 could be the first attempt at orbital injection, and if that goes well, Flight 15 could potentially launch from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida — though all of this is subject to FAA approval.
Why Starship Flight 13 Matters
Starship isn’t just another rocket. It’s central to NASA’s Artemis Moon landing program, next-generation Starlink satellite deployment, and Elon Musk’s long-term Mars ambitions. Every test flight brings SpaceX closer to making Starship fully reusable — which would dramatically cut the cost of getting to orbit.
Flight 13’s primary job is simple but critical: prove the booster works. If B20 can nail its boostback burn and land cleanly, SpaceX gets one giant step closer to the holy grail of fully reusable spaceflight.
Quick Facts: Starship Flight 13 at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Expected Launch Window | July – August 2026 |
| Launch Site | Starbase, OLP-2 (Pad B), Texas |
| Booster | Super Heavy Booster 20 (V3) |
| Upper Stage | Ship 40 (V3) |
| Mission Type | Suborbital Test Flight |
| Mission Profile | Repeat of Flight 12 |
| Booster Recovery | Splashdown (no catch attempt) |
| Engine Type | Raptor 3 |
What’s Next After Flight 13?
If Flight 13 goes smoothly, here’s what SpaceX is planning down the pipeline:
- Flight 14 — First orbital injection attempt
- Flight 15 — Potential launch from LC-39A, Florida (pending FAA clearance)
- Flight 13–15 — Window where SpaceX may attempt the first Ship catch
Stay tuned for updates as SpaceX moves toward static fire testing for both Booster 20 and Ship 40. We’ll update this article as the official launch date is confirmed.
