SpaceX Starship 13th Test Flight Set for Thursday with 20 Operational Starlink V3 Satellites

According to Ars Technica, SpaceX will conduct Starship's 13th full-scale test flight on Thursday, July 17, during a launch window opening at 5:45 pm CDT (22:45 UTC) from Starbase, Texas. The mission marks the first time SpaceX will deploy operational hardware aboard the vehicle: 20 real Starlink Version 3 broadband satellites will occupy the cargo bay's deployer system.

The satellites will not join SpaceX's operational network. Instead, engineers plan to test laser communication links between the Starlink V3s and other spacecraft in low-Earth orbit, validating interoperability with previous-generation Starlink satellites. The suborbital flight will last approximately one hour, with the ship targeted for controlled splashdown northwest of Australia and the satellites burning up during reentry.