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2w ago

SpaceX Readies Late‑August Starship Flight to Deploy V3 Starlinks and Could Catch Upper Stage

A successful test would validate Starship’s improved heat shield, providing data SpaceX needs to try rapid reuse and scale launches for Starlink growth.

A satellite image taken on August 2 shows Skimmer Tide floating near SpaceX's Starship after it landed in the Indian Ocean.
Image
Starship floats in the Indian Ocean after its July 24 test flight from Starbase. Previous Starships have exploded before or upon splashdown, leaving SpaceX with a new challenge to recover the craft. 
A satellite image taken on August 3 shows the Normand Ranger and SpaceX's Starship rocket. Attached to the nose of Starship is a long line.

Overview

  • Flight 13, which launched on July 24, saw the Starship upper stage (Ship 40) survive reentry, make a soft splashdown and remain afloat in the Indian Ocean, prompting plans to inspect the vehicle.
  • Satellite imagery and ship‑tracking show SpaceX’s recovery vessel Go Australis plus tugboats Normand Ranger and Skimmer Tide working to stabilize and tow Ship 40 as engineers prepare inspections of its heat‑shield tiles.
  • CEO Elon Musk said on Aug. 4 that Integrated Flight Test‑14 is tentatively planned for the end of August to put upgraded Starlink V3 satellites into operational orbit and, if regulators approve, attempt the first tower catch of the upper stage.
  • SpaceX continues routine Falcon 9 operations that support Starlink build‑out, including a successful Aug. 4 Vandenberg launch of 24 Starlinks whose booster (B1063) landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You.
  • If inspections confirm the heat shield and regulators permit a catch, SpaceX could accelerate Starship reuse and faster Starlink deployment, but key technical steps and regulatory approvals remain unresolved.