SpaceX schedules next Starship launch from Starbase

SpaceX is aiming to launch the next test flight of Starship from Starbase on Thursday, as the company looks to complete objectives that were cut short during its previous mission.

The 90-minute launch window opens at 5:45 p.m. CT, with a live webcast beginning about 30 minutes before liftoff.

The mission, known as Flight 13, follows the July 16 test flight, when problems with the Super Heavy booster and Starship’s upper stage prevented SpaceX from completing several planned demonstrations.

For this flight, SpaceX says it has made hardware and software upgrades to address those issues.

The Super Heavy booster will again attempt to separate from Starship, return toward the launch site and make a controlled landing in the Gulf of Mexico. Engineers modified the booster after several engines failed to restart during the previous flight, cutting its return burn short.

The Starship spacecraft will also attempt several milestones. For the first time, it will deploy 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, test restarting one of its Raptor engines while in space and complete a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Although the satellites are expected to burn up during reentry, the demonstration is designed to test how future Starlink satellites will deploy and communicate in orbit.

Six of the satellites will also carry cameras to photograph Starship’s heat shield during flight, giving engineers new data as the company works toward eventually returning the spacecraft to the launch site for reuse.

SpaceX will also test new heat shield tiles and attachment methods designed to improve durability during launch and reentry.

As with all Starship flight tests, SpaceX said the launch schedule remains subject to change.

If it launches as planned, Flight 13 will be the first Starship mission since federal regulators cleared SpaceX to resume flights following the investigation into the previous test flight.