# SpaceX Conducts 13th Starship Test Flight Starship carrying next-gen Starlink satellites completes test flight. - **Source:** [Engadget - Technology News & Expert Reviews](https://brifing.si/source/16dd2da6-3eea-4d1e-b34f-45e846cdf037) - **Published:** 2026-07-24 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/07105331-340d-4d98-bbaf-987a1a720b29 ## Starship's 13th Test Flight SpaceX conducted the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket. The flight, delayed several times due to weather conditions, carried next-gen V3 Starlink satellites. These satellites offer 10 times more download and 22 times more upload capacity compared to current V2 models. ## High-Capacity Satellite Test Starship carried 20 V3 Starlink satellites on this flight. The satellites deployed their solar arrays and antennas to test connectivity with the Starlink constellation using high-capacity lasers. However, the satellites did not remain in orbit and burned up upon re-entry. ## Heat Shield Analysis SpaceX equipped two Starlink satellites with cameras to test Starship's heat shield. The cameras scanned the shield and transmitted images to the ground for analysis, helping the company assess Starship's readiness for future flights. ## Super Heavy's Issues The Super Heavy booster performed a maneuver after stage separation and executed a high-thrust burn with all 33 engines. However, a subset of engines failed to relight, causing the booster to crash into the ocean and explode. This highlights challenges in achieving full reusability. ## Starship's Future The Starship stage mimicked future mission trajectories, returning to Starbase before splashing down in the Indian Ocean. This flight had similar goals to the 12th test in May, aiming to collect data for a fully reusable design. ## A Major Step in the Space Race SpaceX's Starship tests have the potential to revolutionize space travel and communication technologies. The capacity of V3 Starlink satellites could significantly enhance global internet access. However, Super Heavy's issues indicate more work is needed to achieve full reusability. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.engadget.com/2222979/spacex-13th-starship-flight-test-launches-with-starlink-s-next-gen-satellites/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._