SpaceX launches Starship prototype on its 13th test flight

Space programsSpaceX launches Starship prototype on its 13th test flight The launch was originally scheduled for July 16 but was aborted at the last minuteNEW YORK, July 25. /TASS/. US aerospace company SpaceX on Friday launched a rocket carrying its Starship prototype spacecraft on its 13th test flight, with the event livestreamed on the company's X account. The rocket lifted off at 6:51 p.m. EDT (10:51 p.m. GMT on July 24) from the Starbase launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The flight is expected to last about an hour. During this time, SpaceX plans to deploy 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, six of which are equipped to monitor the prototype's heat shield. Upon mission completion, the spacecraft is scheduled to splash down in the Indian Ocean. The launch was originally scheduled for July 16 but was aborted at the last minute. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk explained that an automatic abort was triggered after several engines failed to ignite. A subsequent attempt on July 23 was postponed to July 24 due to unfavorable weather conditions. The 12th test flight took place in May, featuring Starship S39--the first of SpaceX's third-generation V3 vehicles. That spacecraft exploded shortly after splashdown. SpaceX stated that engineers have since implemented necessary software updates and resolved the issues identified during that flight. According to SpaceX, the Starship space system is designed to be fully versatile. Its various configurations will be used for crewed low-Earth orbit flights, satellite deployments, and deep-space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft are designed to be fully reusable and capable of vertical landings. 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