SpaceX Launches 13th Starship Test Flight Aiming for First Orbital Mission

SpaceX announced the 13th test flight of its Starship megarocket, marking a key milestone toward orbital capability. The launch will occur from the Texas launch site, using the Super Heavy booster to lift the vehicle.

NASA awarded SpaceX an additional $950 million for three crewed International Space Station missions, linking the Starship program to future human transport. The funding follows a recent contract to support crew rotation flights.

Starship is built for full reusability and can carry up to 100 metric tons to low‑Earth orbit, a capacity that could cut launch prices dramatically. Its stainless‑steel structure also enables rapid turnaround between flights.

Analysts expect the successful 13th flight to accelerate NASA’s plan to launch its next large space telescope with SpaceX, potentially opening the path for deep‑space science missions in the 2030s. The test will inform safety and performance standards.