SpaceX is pushing hard toward Starship Flight 13, with two parallel campaigns now underway at Starbase in Texas. Super Heavy Booster 20 has returned to Mega Bay 1 for the installation of its full complement of 33 Raptor engines, while Ship 40 is rolling toward a Static Fire test — the last major hurdle before the two vehicles can be stacked and prepared for launch.
According to NASASpaceflight, Booster 20 completed an extensive cryogenic testing campaign at the Massey test site earlier this month, including a full propellant loading test that held fuel in the tanks for roughly three hours — a deliberate evaluation that went beyond standard procedures. With that data in hand, the booster was cleared to return to the build facility for engine integration. A static fire test for B20 could realistically follow later in June, according to tracking sources.
Ship 40 is slightly further along in the sequence. It wrapped its own cryo campaign in May and has since received its six Raptor engines at Mega Bay 2. The upcoming Static Fire will be the final validation step before S40 is cleared for stacking. If both vehicles complete their static fires on schedule, Flight 13 — the second flight of the Starship V3 configuration, targeting Orbital Launch Pad 2 — could be on the horizon before the end of summer. For more on SpaceX's progress, see our SpaceX coverage.
Sarah focuses on Tesla Energy, SpaceX missions, and the broader Musk AI portfolio. Former data analyst in clean energy. Based in San Francisco.
Sources verified at publish time. Spotted an inaccuracy? Email editorial@basenor.com.
