Overview
- SpaceX used Super Heavy booster B20 and Starship S40 in the 13th integrated flight-test and recovered the booster at sea after planned separation.
- The Starship vehicle completed a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean and remained intact after finishing its descent maneuvers.
- The mission deployed 20 next-generation V3 Starlink satellites and established a laser communications link with a ground station.
- Telemetry showed three landing engines were commanded but only two ignited and software plus variable-thrust control kept the vehicle stable and preserved mission goals.
- The test advances reusability checks and communications hardware validation in SpaceX’s iterative program and could clear the way for an orbital-capable flight on the next mission.