SpaceX Starship's 13th Test Flight Carries 20 Starlink V3 Satellites Thursday

SpaceX is preparing for Starship's 13th test flight, scheduled for Thursday with a launch window opening at 5:45 pm CDT (22:45 UTC) from Starbase, Texas. The mission marks the first time the spacecraft will carry 20 real Starlink Version 3 satellites in its cargo bay, replacing the simulators used in previous tests. The hour-long suborbital flight will follow a trajectory from Texas to the Indian Ocean, where the spacecraft and satellites will execute a controlled splashdown and atmospheric reentry northwest of Australia.

Starship Carries 20 Starlink V3 Satellites for Deployment Test

Technicians have installed 20 Starlink V3 satellites into Starship's deployer, a system of pulleys and cables designed to eject satellites one at a time through an opening on the side of the spacecraft. This represents the second test flight using SpaceX's newest version of Starship. SpaceX previously tested the ship's payload deployment mechanism using simulators mimicking the mass and dimensions of the next-generation Starlink Version 3 broadband satellites.

The satellites will not join SpaceX's operational network. Engineers will attempt to briefly establish laser communication links between the Starlink V3s and other spacecraft flying in low-Earth orbit. These links will validate Starlink V3's interoperability with SpaceX's previous generation of Starlink satellites. The satellites will also attempt to connect with ground stations in South Africa as they pass more than 100 miles overhead.

Flight Trajectory Spans Texas to Indian Ocean Over One Hour

The more than 400-foot-tall rocket will fly on a suborbital trajectory arcing halfway around the world from the launch site at Starbase, Texas, to a predetermined location in the Indian Ocean. The flight of Starship and the 20 Starlink satellites will last a little more than an hour before they fall back into the atmosphere.

The flight plan includes enough time in space for the Starlink satellites to extend their solar arrays and antennas. The ship will target a controlled splashdown northwest of Australia, while the Starlink satellites will burn up during reentry. The mission profile mirrors the last Starship flight in May, which marked the first flight of SpaceX's newest Starship version.

FAQ

What is SpaceX launching on Starship's 13th test flight? SpaceX is launching 20 real Starlink Version 3 satellites inside Starship's cargo bay during the 13th test flight scheduled for Thursday. This is the first time real satellites will fly instead of simulators.

When does the Starship launch window open on Thursday? The launch window opens at 5:45 pm CDT (22:45 UTC) on Thursday from Starbase, Texas.

How long will the Starship test flight last? The suborbital flight will last a little more than an hour, following a trajectory from Texas to the Indian Ocean where the spacecraft and satellites will reenter the atmosphere.