SpaceX launches Starship on 13th flight test

On July 24, the latest Starship test—flight number 13—took place. It was a complete success, though it is currently under review; a success can mask flaws that might manifest tragically later on, so every detail must be analyzed. However, as of this writing, everything appears to have gone well. The launch took place at Starbase in Texas, very close to the Mexican border. It was the second flight of the V3 version—comprising both the Super Heavy (the booster) and the Starship (the upper stage, or more accurately, the spacecraft itself), although both elements are collectively known as Starship.

The V3 represents the evolution of the Starship; in short, the V3 offers "more of everything." It is slightly taller (by nearly 1.5 meters), more powerful thanks to new Raptor 3 engines, and more efficient. It features an improved heat shield for reentry, greater fuel capacity, and a design that is smarter, simpler, and lighter. The rocket's liftoff and ascent proceeded without issues. The Super Heavy ignited all 33 Raptor 3 engines, and stage separation went smoothly. The booster completed the high-thrust phase using all 33 engines—a first for the V3—although the burn ended earlier than planned.

Ultimately, the booster made a hard splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, albeit faster than planned. The video above, posted by Elon Musk, shows the Starship—the spacecraft itself—separating and moving away from the "Super Heavy" booster at an altitude of roughly 60 to 80 kilometers. It is important to note that for this test, the vehicle is a prototype lacking the equipment and life-support systems required for astronauts. The booster never crosses the Kármán line—the 100-kilometer altitude mark that defines the boundary of space—because it lacks the heat shield necessary for atmospheric reentry.

We must also remember that a key objective is to recover and reuse both main components of the Starship system. While the current units are being destroyed and lost in the ocean or the Gulf of Mexico—a consequence of the testing phase—the ultimate goal is recovery. This represents a radical shift in space rocket construction that will significantly lower the cost of space travel; in the past, all rockets were single-use—launched and then destroyed—meaning everything built was ultimately lost.

In the video, we can also see the moment when Super Heavy has already shut down most of its engines and Starship ignites its own to separate and continue its journey—crossing the Kármán line to reach space. Although it did not complete a full orbit around Earth—it was a suborbital flight—once in space, Starship deployed 20 real, functional Starlink V3 satellites; this time, they were not simulators or mass mock-ups. The satellites followed a suborbital trajectory and disintegrated upon re-entering the atmosphere 20 minutes after deployment, exactly as planned.

You might be wondering why those functional satellites were destroyed—why not use mock-ups of the same weight if they were destined for destruction? Is this just wasteful spending by billionaire Elon Musk, as some on social media might claim? The answer is no; it turns out that two tests were actually being conducted at once. It wasn't just a test of Starship; the new-generation Starlink V3 satellites were also being tested for the first time. Just as Starship V3 represents an upgrade in every respect, these satellites do too—they are more advanced and possess greater data-handling capacity. During those roughly 20 minutes, the satellites deployed their solar panels and antennas, communicated via radio and laser with the existing Starlink constellation in orbit, and transmitted telemetry back to Earth; ultimately, they were confirmed to meet all the engineers' expectations.

After releasing the satellites, Starship performed its reentry—with the heat shield holding firm—and executed a maneuver simulating a future approach to Starbase. However, this time it made a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean; it didn't explode like in previous instances and remained afloat. All spacecraft float because they are airtight; like ships, they obey Archimedes' principle, which states that any object submerged in a fluid experiences an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces. After all, no astronaut would want to perform a splashdown only to have their spacecraft sink like a stone.

Some spacecraft are designed to float at sea, even in heavy swells—SpaceX’s Dragon capsules are one example. Starship, however, while capable of floating, is not designed for splashdowns; the plan is for it to land at a launch site, where it will be caught by the "Mechazilla" tower's arms, refurbished, and relaunched on a new mission as quickly as possible. To reiterate: the goal is to reuse every component of the Starship system—both the booster and the ship itself—in the shortest time frame to reduce costs. Of course, in an emergency, it *could* float until a rescue vessel arrived, provided the sea wasn't too rough; heavy swells could cause the ship to capsize, develop leaks allowing water to enter, or drift chaotically, all of which would complicate the rescue and endanger the crew.

Starship does float, but as I mentioned, it isn't designed for splashdowns—that would only happen in an emergency. Ultimately, the plan is for Starship to land at a launch site, a milestone that may not be far off, as it is expected to occur during the next test flight, Flight 14. That flight is scheduled to include Starship's first full orbit, a step driven by the objective of having the vehicle return to the Texas launch site to be caught by the Mechazilla tower's arms.

Until now, the flights have fallen short, ending up in the Indian Ocean; currently, there is no confirmed date for flight number 14. Engineers are reviewing data from flight number 13 to identify potential issues or areas for improvement. The schedule also depends on vehicle preparation and, of course, authorizations from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration; however, if everything goes according to plan—with all permits granted and operations properly coordinated—flight 14 could take place as early as mid-August. In any case, there is a push to accelerate the evolution and development of Starship, the spacecraft NASA needs to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the dusty lunar surface; delays in Starship's development could allow China to pull ahead in the race to reach the Moon in the 21st century.

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