SpaceX Postpones 13th Starship Test Flight to Friday
The 90-minute launch window opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT as SpaceX replaces or refurbishes first-stage engines after the scrubbed attempt.
- SpaceX is targeting Thursday, July 23, for the 13th test flight of Starship, with a 90-minute launch window opening at 6:45 p.m. EDT at Starbase in South Texas. The 408-foot-tall vehicle is designed to support moon and Mars missions.
- Last Thursday's attempt ended in an automatic abort when some of the 33 first-stage Raptor engines failed to ignite. CEO Elon Musk confirmed that two Raptor 3 engines were replaced on the Super Heavy booster to prepare for Thursday's retry.
- This mission will carry 20 Starlink V3 internet satellites and test heat shield upgrades, including load sensing tiles to measure dynamic pressure. Modified tiles attached to aft flaps will gather flight data on new attachment mechanisms during high-altitude stress.
- Success is critical for NASA, as Starship serves as the human lander for the Artemis program. Analyst Kremer noted that SpaceX is "under the gun to produce" results, making this test essential to prove vehicle reliability.
- Beyond this suborbital test, SpaceX plans to conduct its first orbital flight—the 14th test—before expanding operations to Florida. These milestones are essential steps toward realizing long-term goals for Mars missions and lunar landings.
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SpaceX Starship Flight 13 faces wrath of the Texas skies
SpaceX called off Thursday’s launch attempt of Starship Flight 13, pushing the mission to Friday because of weather tied to Tropical Storm Bertha. The company confirmed the delay on X, noting “Now targeting Friday, July 24 for Starship’s thirteenth flight test, due to weather. A key objective for the flight test is to get clear imagery from the ground of Starship’s heatshield as it flies at a higher dynamic pressure during ascent, which won’t be…
The company has explained that postponing 24 hours the launch will have an "ideal visibility" of ship protection. More information: SpaceX aborts the launch of the giant Starship rocket at the last moment: "Some engines did not start"
Bertha Forces Delay of Starship's Flight 13
SpaceX has postponed the do-over for its 13th Starship test flight. The towering rocket had been slated to lift off Thursday evening from the company's Starbase site in South Texas, but the launch was called off due to Tropical Storm Bertha, which made landfall in Texas Thursday afternoon, reports the...
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