SpaceX Conducts 13th Starship Test, Trials Upgraded Starlink Satellites
SpaceX has successfully carried out the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket system, marking another step forward in the company’s efforts to advance reusable space transportation and expand its satellite network. The launch took place from the company’s Starbase facility in Texas, with the rocket lifting off in the evening as part of an hour-long mission.
During the test, the spacecraft deployed a batch of upgraded Starlink satellites designed to deliver improved internet capacity and faster connectivity. The satellites were briefly integrated with the existing orbital network before re-entering the atmosphere and disintegrating as planned, following a suborbital trajectory.
The mission also demonstrated progress in Starship’s reentry performance, as the vehicle returned through Earth’s atmosphere with minimal damage to its heat shield compared to earlier tests. It later completed a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean after reigniting its engines to stabilise its descent.
However, challenges were recorded with the Super Heavy booster, which experienced engine relight failures during its return phase. This resulted in a harder-than-expected impact in the Gulf of Mexico, highlighting ongoing technical hurdles in achieving fully reliable recovery of the first-stage booster.
The test forms part of SpaceX’s broader plans to make Starship a fully reusable system capable of frequent flights. The company aims to use the rocket to expand its next-generation Starlink services, support future lunar missions, and eventually deploy large-scale satellite infrastructure for advanced technologies.
