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10h ago

SpaceX Sets July 23 Target for Starship Flight 13 After T‑0 Engine Abort

The company says it has swapped Raptors and updated propulsion hardware and software to prove the rocket can safely carry Starlink test payloads and reassure regulators.

The two robotic arms of Northrop Grumman's Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) are shown here at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory during integration onto the spacecraft. Credit: Northrop Grumman, via U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Public Domain
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Overview

  • The Starship countdown was automatically aborted at T‑0 because several Super Heavy Raptor engines failed to ignite during startup, a problem that halted the July 16 launch attempt and prevented liftoff.
  • SpaceX replaced the affected Raptor engines and applied targeted hardware and software fixes and is now aiming as early as Thursday, July 23 for the next integrated Flight 13 attempt, pending final inspections, tanking, range clearance, and weather.
  • Flight 13 is a technology demonstration carrying 20 next‑generation Starlink V3 satellites that will be released on a suborbital trajectory to test deployment and laser communications while using some satellites to image Starship’s heat shield.
  • The Federal Aviation Administration closed its mishap review of Flight 12 earlier in July, clearing the regulatory path for more tests, but a separate Falcon 9 abort on July 20 and the recent engine problems keep scrutiny on reliability.
  • The setbacks have hit investor confidence and could slow plans to use Starship for routine Starlink launches and for NASA mission roles, so the next flight will be watched closely for proof that ignition, relight, and heat‑shield fixes work in flight.