SpaceX's 13th Starship test flight is poised for liftoff after engineers completed an engine swap following a last-second abort last week.
What Happened
The booster was rolled back to its hangar in South Texas after the July 16 abort to swap out engines. Starship has since returned to the launch pad, with liftoff set for Friday evening from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. A flawless launch and reentry would put SpaceX on the cusp of achieving an orbital flight later this year.
Why It Matters
The 13th test flight represents another step toward SpaceX's goal of making Starship fully reusable and capable of carrying large payloads to orbit. The ability to quickly diagnose issues and return to the pad demonstrates progress in the vehicle's development cadence. Success would mark a significant milestone as SpaceX works toward orbital flights with the massive rocket.
The Bottom Line
SpaceX is targeting Friday evening for its 13th Starship test flight after resolving an engine issue that caused last week's abort.