SpaceX conducts full‑engine static fire of Starship upper stage ahead of 13th test flight

On 2 July 2026 SpaceX performed a 60‑second static‑fire test of all six Raptor engines on the Starship upper stage, designated Ship 40, at its Starbase facility in Texas. This follows an earlier single‑engine test on 26 June and is a critical step before the planned thirteenth integrated Starship flight, expected in July‑August 2026. Ship 40 is the version‑3 prototype, 124 m tall, equipped with three sea‑level and three vacuum‑optimized Raptors. The test, shown in a video posted on X, verified that the engines can operate together under flight‑like conditions. Successful completion moves the program toward the next milestone: static‑fire testing of the Super Heavy booster, which carries 33 Raptor engines, before the full vehicle’s launch. SpaceX cites the test as progress toward expanding the Starlink constellation, supporting NASA’s Artemis lunar missions, and delivering heavier payloads to orbit.