Crew-12 successfully launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station early this morning. The 4-person team is set to dock at the International Space Station on Saturday, Feb. 14, and remain at the ISS for eight months.
With each test flight, SpaceX is advancing Starship, the next-generation launch vehicle NASA plans to use to help land astronauts on the moon as part of the Artemis program.
SpaceX’s flagship Starship launch system is preparing for its 13th integrated test flight, another key milestone as the company works to mature the technology NASA is relying on for its Artemis program and humanity’s return to the moon.
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According to SpaceX, the 13th Starship flight test is scheduled to launch Thursday, July 16, with the launch window opening at 5:45 p.m. CT.
SpaceX’s Starship 39 rocket launches from Starbase during the 12th test flight as seen from South Padre Island, Texas, on May 22, 2026.
(RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
As with any rocket launch, the targeted liftoff date remains subject to change due to weather, technical issues uncovered during final preparations, regulatory considerations or range availability.
As the countdown continues, prediction markets are offering insight into what traders think the odds are that the highly anticipated test flight will lift off as scheduled.
Through its previous test flights, SpaceX has used Starship to prove new capabilities and move closer to making the next-generation launch system operational. The 13th test flight will continue that progress while taking another major step forward.
Building on the debut of its new Super Heavy V3 boost in the 12th test flight, SpaceX is now preparing for another major milestone: Starship’s first-ever payload mission. The 13th test flight is expected to deploy 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, marking the first time the vehicle carries satellites into space.
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According to SpaceX, Super Heavy V3 is the latest version of the booster that powers Starship off the launch pad and is designed to help advance the company’s goal of building a fully reusable launch system.
The SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy booster stacked for launch in Boca Chica, Texas on March 12, 2024 ahead of SpaceX’s third test flight with the mega rocket. (Image: SpaceX)
The upcoming flight serves as the program begins shifting from developmental testing toward operational missions, building towards the future of spaceflight.
The mission represents another step forward for the technology SpaceX is developing for NASA’s Artemis program. As Starship continues to mature, it is moving closer to becoming the launch system NASA plans to use to help return astronauts to the moon.
Although the Starlink V3 satellites are not part of the Artemis program, their deployment marks Starship’s first operational payload mission, demonstrating the progression of the vehicle beyond experimental test flights and real space operations.
Camera mounted to Orion spacecraft.
(NASA / FOX Weather)
That evolution is critical because NASA needs confidence that Starship can become a reliable transportation system—one capable of launching repeatedly and supporting the sustained pace of missions needed for long-term lunar exploration.
