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SpaceX's first Starship V3 vehicle launches on a test flight on May 22, 2026.

Starship Flight 13, with Booster 20 and Ship 40 stacked at Starbase pad 2 on July 16, 2026.

Starship's onboard systems initiated and automated aboard at T-0.

The 33 Raptor 3 engines on Starship's Super Heavy booster seen from beneath the Starbase pad 2 launch stand on July 16, 2026.

SpaceX's massive Starship, the world's largest and most powerful rocket, was scheduled to launch its critical test flight on Thursday, July 16, at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT) from Starbase, Texas. The mission was scrubbed at the very end of the countdown. SpaceX is now targeting July 20 for Starship Flight 13.

You can see our latest updates on the Starship V3 (short for Version 3) rocket, including its test flight goals, system upgrades and more. Flight 13 is the 13th test launch of the Starship vehicle since 2023.

$39.99 at AmazonStarship Die Cast Rocket Model Was $47.99 Now $39.99 on Amazon.

Even if you can't see SpaceX's Starship in person, you can score a model of your own. Standing at 13.77 inches (35 cm), this is a 1:375 ratio of SpaceX's Starship as a desktop model. The materials here are alloy steel and it weighs just 225g.

Get notified of updates 2026-07-17T17:59:17.106Z SpaceX targeting July 20 for Starship Flight 13 test launch We have a new (tentative) launch date: After a last-second abort scuttled SpaceX's first attempt to launch Starship Flight 13 yesterday (July 17), the company is now targeting no earlier than Monday (July 20) for the liftoff. The 90-minute launch window opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT; 5:45 p.m. local time).

You can watch the launch here at Space.com when the time comes and learn about the mission in our Flight 13 preview.

Yesterday's abort was triggered when several of the 33 Raptor engines on Starship's first-stage booster failed to ignite as planned, according to SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk. "To be confident of a good flight, 2 Raptors will be removed & replaced," Musk said via X, the social media platform he owns, shortly after yesterday's abort.

July 20 is a very meaningful date in spaceflight history, by the way. Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, and NASA's robotic Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars exactly seven years later.

Following the last-second scrub of last night's Starship Flight 13 launch, SpaceX stood down from Thursday's launch attempt.

It was not immediately clear what caused the automated abort, but SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted to social media shortly after the launch was called off, saying a failure of a few of Straship's Raptor 3 engines failed to light at ignition. "Next launch attempt hopefully in a few days," Musk said in a post.

He clarified later yesterday evening, saying, "To be confident of a good flight, 2 Raptors will be removed & replaced. Most probable launch timing is early next week."

SpaceX's Starship Flight 13 test launch aborts at last second (video)

To be confident of a good flight, 2 Raptors will be removed & replaced. Most probable launch timing is early next week.July 17, 2026

At T-0, the rocket's automated flight computer initiated a hold and abort call. It isn't immediately clear what caused the abort, but its execution so far into the countdown means a scrub for the day. "We did trigger a hold on the booster that aborted our liftoff as we were starting to light those Raptor engines," SpaceX livestream host Dan Huot said.

"At this point," Huot said as the coverage ended, "they're going to get into [propellant] offload. We're gonna get all the methane, all the oxygen off the vehicle, and then we'll figure out next steps."

A new launch date for Starship Flight 13 has not been determined.

SpaceX has entered the terminal count for Starship! Just one minute to go until Starship Flight 13 liftoff! Let's go!

SpaceX is fueling Starship for Flight 13 right now, and is not tracking any issues as the opening of the launch window approaches. The day began with a 90% probability of favorable launch conditions, according the SpaceX livestream host Dan Huot, who is voicing confidence in the success of today's mission.

According to SpaceX commentators, success on today's mission will open the door for "near future orbital flights" and the first-ever attempt to catch Starship's Ship upper stage using the launch tower at Starbase's pad 2.

Barring any delays in fueling or weather constraints, Starship is scheduled to lift off at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT). The launch window extends for 90 minutes.

SpaceX has begun loading cryogenic fuel into the Super Heavy booster at Starbase's pad 2. Starship uses a mixture of liquid methane and liquix oxygen, together known as "methalox," to power both Super Heavy and Ship stages of Starship.

Watch On Live coverage has begun for SpaceX's Starship Flight 13! You can watch the action and follow along with live updates here, and on the Space.com homepage. SpaceX's direct stream is available on the company's website.

Liftoff is currently set for 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT), with a launch window that extends to 8:15 p.m. EDT (0015 GMT, July 17).

SpaceX stacks massive Starship rocket ahead of today's Flight 13 test launch (video)

On track for Starship's 13th flight test later today - the 90-minute launch window opens at 5:45 p.m. CT. Live coverage starts ~30 minutes before launch https://t.co/QF9Qolqlvp pic.twitter.com/9drzTb14C0July 16, 2026

Josh DinnerSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer, Spaceflight 2026-07-16T16:31:11.155Z SpaceX stacks Starship overnight (video) Image credit: SpaceX

SpaceX has released photos and video of last night's Starship stacking. Super Heavy 20 was rolled back to pad 2 yesterday (July 15), with Ship 40 following its trail after sunset. Both recently completed static test fires of the Raptor 3 engines, followed by final prelaunch checkouts back at their respective hangars.

Now that both have been transported to the launch pad and stacked, SpaceX is preparing the rocket and ground infrastructure for liftoff.

The Flight 13 launch window opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT), and will last for up to 90 minutes.

Josh DinnerSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer, Spaceflight 2026-07-16T11:29:18.830Z Starship stacked, awaiting launch countdown

SpaceX's massive Starship rocket is stacked and ready for this evening's Flight 13 launch. Booster 20, the Super Heavy vehicle supporting the mission, was rolled back to Starbase's pad 2 yesterday, with the upper stage Ship 40 joining the booster overnight, when the two were stacked for (hopefully) the final time before liftoff.

SpaceX is progressing toward a 90-minute launch window that opens today (July 16) at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT). The mission can be streamed live here on Space.com, or directly via SpaceX on the Flight 13 website and the company's X account. Read our full mission breakdown for a complete mission profile:

SpaceX will launch Starship, the world's largest rocket, on critical Flight 13 test today. Here's what to expect.

Josh DinnerSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer, Spaceflight 2026-07-15T11:15:40.020Z SpaceX readying Starship to launch in just over 24 hours

SpaceX has transported Booster 20, the Super Heavy first stage for the massive launch vehicle, back to pad 2 at the company's Starbase facility in Texas. If all goes according to plan, that will be its last relocation before launch, currently scheduled for tomorrow (July 15) during a 90-minute launch window beginning at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT).

Ship 40, Starship's upper stage for Flight 13, will be trasnported to the pad today, and stacked on Super Heavy for a full wet dress rehearsal to confirm the vehicle's readiness ahead of tomorrow's launch attempt.

What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 13 launch on July 16? (Full mission timeline)

Josh DinnerSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer, Spaceflight 2026-07-14T14:30:12.720Z Super Heavy booster moved back to hangar

Following a static fire engine test last Friday (July 10), SpaceX has lowered the Flight 13 Super Heavy, Booster 20, from the launch stand and transported the stage back to its hangar at the company's Starbase, Texas, facility.

The booster will roll back to the pad in the next day or so, along with Ship 40, the Flight 13 Starship upper stage. The pair will be stacked a Starbase's pad 2, where it's expected the rocket will undergo at least one additional engine test prior to launch.

SpaceX is still targeting July 16 for liftoff of Starship's 13th test flight, scheduled to get off the ground during a 90-minute window that opens at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT).

Read how this launch will deploy SpaceX's first batch up upgraded Starlink Version 3 satellites into space.

SpaceX is targeting no earlier than July 16 for the next launch of its massive Starship rocket, the company announced on in a post on X. Flight 13 will be the second launch of the vehicle's Version 3 configuration and will be similar in profile to Flight 12. It will be the second launch for Starship "Version 3" (V3), a bigger, more powerful upgrade from previous Starship designs, and will come a little less than two months after V3's debut.

A 90-minute launch window will begin on Thursday at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT). A livestream of the mission will begin about 30 minutes prior to liftoff and stream on the company's mission page, profile on X and here on Space.com.

Full story: SpaceX targets July 16 for Starship Flight 13, reveals what went wrong on previous launch

Josh DinnerSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer, Spaceflight View More You must confirm your public display name before commenting

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