SpaceX Prepares 13th Starship Test Flight With Real Starlink Satellites
SpaceX is preparing for the 13th test flight of its Starship spacecraft, potentially launching this Thursday, which will include the deployment of actual Starlink satellites.
SpaceX is targeting this Thursday for the 13th test flight of its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster. The mission is scheduled to begin within a launch window opening at 5:45 pm CDT (22:45 UTC).
A significant objective for this flight is the deployment of 20 real Starlink V3 satellites from Starship's cargo bay, a first for the program. Previous tests utilized simulator masses to test the payload deployment mechanism. SpaceX aims to validate the interoperability of the new satellite generation with existing Starlink assets.
Engineers will attempt to establish brief laser communication links between the deployed Starlink V3 satellites and other orbiting spacecraft. While these specific satellites will not join the operational Starlink network, a successful communication link would confirm the functionality of the next-generation satellites' laser interconnections.
This test flight represents SpaceX's second attempt with its newest version of Starship. The company continues to utilize these flights to gather data and refine the design and operation of its next-generation orbital launch system.