- On July 24, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched the 13th test flight of Starship from Starbase, Texas.
- Under this mission, 20 advanced Starlink V3 satellites were deployed into suborbital space. However, the mission was not limited to satellite deployment; a key objective was also to test the capability of reigniting the Raptor engine in space.
- Additionally, the effectiveness of hardware and software improvements made following previous tests was evaluated.
- Starlink is SpaceX's satellite-based broadband internet service, while Starlink V3 represents its latest and most advanced satellites, developed to provide greater bandwidth, enhanced network capacity, and faster internet service.
- All 20 satellites involved in this test were sent along the same suborbital trajectory as Starship.
- After collecting the necessary technical data during the mission, they were designed to burn up upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.
- Six of these satellites were equipped with special cameras that transmitted live views of Starship back to Earth during the flight.
- This footage and data enabled engineers to conduct a detailed analysis of the vehicle's performance, stability, and technical behavior during the flight.
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