SpaceX stacks Starship for Flight 13 test launch

SpaceX has assembled the two stages of its Starship super‑heavy launch vehicle at the Boca Chica launch site, preparing for the Flight 13 test flight scheduled for this evening, July 16. The staging process, which involves aligning the Starship upper stage with the Super‑Heavy booster, was completed under clear weather conditions, allowing the company to proceed with its planned schedule.

Flight 13 follows a series of earlier test flights that have tested propulsion, guidance, and structural integrity of the vehicle. The company has used these incremental launches to refine its systems, with each test providing data on the rocket’s performance under increasingly realistic flight conditions. The upcoming test will assess the integrated performance of the two stages, including the booster’s first‑stage engine burn and the upper stage’s propulsion and re‑entry systems.

If successful, the test will bring SpaceX one step closer to achieving a fully reusable Starship system capable of carrying humans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The company will monitor telemetry and telemetry data in real time, with a focus on engine performance, guidance accuracy, and structural loads, before any further flight attempts.