SpaceX to launch Starship Flight 13 Friday from Texas starbase
SpaceX is taking another shot at launching Starship Flight 13 this Friday at 4:15am. India Standard Time from its Texas Starbase.
After a last-minute engine issue scrubbed the previous attempt, this mission is a big deal for SpaceX's plans to send people to the Moon (thanks to NASA's Artemis program) and eventually Mars.
Starship carries 20 simulated Starlink satellites
For the first time, Starship will carry 20 simulated Starlink satellites, not for orbit, but for re-entry tests.
The Super Heavy booster aims for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, while Starship itself will land in the Indian Ocean after about an hour.
Engineers are watching closely to see how upgrades to engines and re-entry systems perform, important steps toward making these huge rockets reusable and ready for deep space missions.