SpaceX targets Starship Flight 13 launch today after July abort

SpaceX is preparing to launch the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket today, Thursday, July 23, with a 90-minute window opening at 6:45 p.m. EDT from Starbase, Texas. The attempt comes after a July 16 abort when engines on the Super Heavy booster failed to ignite at T-0, triggering an automatic shutdown.SpaceX+4

What Went Wrong on July 16

During the first launch attempt last week, four of the Super Heavy booster's 33 Raptor 3 engines failed to ignite as the startup sequence began, prompting the vehicle's safety system to automatically abort the launch. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed that two Raptor engines were replaced in the days following the scrub, and the company reworked the booster's startup sequence to be more robust against timing variability.🔋 Tesla, Elon Musk, SpaceX News+3

The abort system "did exactly what it was designed to do — prevent launch with an incomplete engine ignition sequence," SpaceX said. The company announced July 20 that it would target today for its second attempt.youtube+2

Mission Objectives

Flight 13 marks the second flight of SpaceX's upgraded Starship V3 vehicle, using Super Heavy Booster 20 and Ship 40. For the first time, Starship will carry 20 operational next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, which will deploy solar arrays, extend antennas, and attempt to connect with ground stations in South Africa and the broader Starlink constellation via high-capacity laser links. Six of the satellites carry cameras designed to scan Starship's heat shield during flight.X+3

The mission also plans to attempt an in-space Raptor engine relight on the upper stage — a test objective that was skipped on Flight 12. The Super Heavy booster will target a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, while the Starship upper stage aims for a guided descent into the Indian Ocean.youtube+1

Weather Remains a Concern

Tropical Storm Bertha, currently weakening as it crosses southeastern Louisiana, poses a potential complication. As of Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Center extended a Tropical Storm Watch westward to Sargent, Texas, with conditions possible along the upper Texas coast by Thursday or Thursday night. However, forecasters expect Bertha to be downgraded to a tropical depression before reaching South Texas, with minimal rainfall expected in the Starbase area. SpaceX confirmed Wednesday that the launch remains on schedule, weather permitting.Space+4