SpaceX Starship Test Flight 13 Deploys 20 Starlink V3 Satellites and Achieves Intact Ocean Splashdown
On July 24‑25 2026 SpaceX launched its Starship test flight 13 from Starbase in Texas. The vehicle lifted off using 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster and, after separation, the Starship upper stage carried out a successful orbital segment.
The flight deployed 20 operational Starlink V3 satellites, which transmitted telemetry before re‑entering and burning up. The Starship vehicle returned to Earth with an intact splashdown in the Indian Ocean, allowing engineers to inspect a heat shield composed of more than 18,000 ceramic tiles. The Super Heavy booster performed a hard splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
NASA monitored the mission, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that a tower‑catch maneuver will be pursued on the next flight. The test marks the first Starship launch since SpaceX’s June 2026 IPO, underscoring both technological progress and market significance.
Entities: Elon Musk · NASA · SpaceX · Starlink V3 · Starlink V3 satellites · Starship · Super Heavy
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Starship’s heat shield contains more than 18,000 ceramic tiles. (multiple)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The launch used 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster. (multiple)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Starship achieved an intact splashdown in the Indian Ocean. (multiple)
- [● 9 SOURCES] The flight deployed 20 Starlink V3 satellites into orbit. (multiple)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Super Heavy booster hard‑splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. (multiple)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Elon Musk said a tower‑catch attempt will be pursued on the next flight. (multiple)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Starship test flight 13 launched on July 24, 2026 from Starbase, Texas. (multiple)
- [● 3 SOURCES] NASA monitored the flight. (multiple)