Get notified of updates 2026-07-16T19:07:54.305Z Starship Flight 13 on track for launch

Starship Flight 13, with Booster 20 and Ship 40 stacked at Starbase pad 2 on July 16, 2026. (Image credit: SpaceX)

Image credit: SpaceX

Image credit: SpaceX

Image credit: SpaceX

SpaceX is moving ahead today with Starship Flight 13, according to a post on the company's social media page. Beach and road closures around Starbase close to the public this afternoon around 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT), clearing all but essential personnel from the surrounding facility.

A 90-minute launch window will open at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT), with several opportunities for teams to reset if liftoff doesn't occur at the top of the window. SpaceX's livestream is expected to begin about 30 minutes before launch, and will be simulcast here on Space.com.

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 DinnerStaff Writer, Spaceflight 2026-07-16T16:31:11.155Z SpaceX stacks Starship overnight (video)

Image credit: SpaceX

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.

Stacking Starship for Flight 13 pic.twitter.com/L4XN6gqgRtJuly 16, 2026

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

SpaceX's first Starship V3 vehicle launches on a test flight on May 22, 2026. (Image credit: SpaceX)

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

(Image credit: Background: SpaceX, clock added in Canva Pro)

Starship's next big test launch is just a day away.

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 DinnerStaff Writer, Spaceflight 2026-07-14T14:30:12.720Z Super Heavy booster moved back to hangar

(Image credit: SpaceX)

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.

How to watch SpaceX launch Starship Flight 13 on July 16

2026-07-13T19:50:07.474Z SpaceX targeting July 16 for Starship Flight 13

The next Starship launch has arrived!

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 DinnerStaff Writer, Spaceflight