SpaceX Preps Starship for 13th Test Flight This Week

Upcoming launch will push the rocket to higher pressures and trial a new generation of Starlink satellites in orbit

SpaceX is preparing to launch the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket later this week, according to Ars Technica.

The upcoming mission will subject the vehicle to higher operating pressures than previous flights, part of the company's incremental approach to validating the rocket's design ahead of future missions.

The flight will also carry a new generation of Starlink satellites, testing their deployment and performance once in orbit, Ars Technica reported.

Starship is central to SpaceX's plans to expand its satellite constellation and, eventually, to carry out missions beyond Earth orbit. Each test flight has built on lessons from earlier launches as the company works toward a fully reusable heavy-lift rocket.

— Compiled from reporting by Ars Technica.