Saturday, July 25, 2026

Starship Flight 13 completes successful test flight with softest splashdown — Saturday, July 25, 2026

Starship Flight 13 launched July 24 with successful splashdown; ISS change-of-command ceremony scheduled for July 25; NASA deep space station in Spain evacuated due to wildfires. SpaceX scrubbed a second attempt at Starship Flight 13 due to weather‑driven imaging constraints, while the vehicle stack remained healthy; the company remains on track for another launch window in the early hours of July 25.

Biggest developments

Starship Flight 13 completes successful test flight with softest splashdown

SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Ship has 'landed' in the Indian Ocean after a smooth flight, ending with a spectacular water landing as the spacecraft tipped gently over to float on the sea. He called it SpaceX's 'softest splashdown' ever.

ISS Change-of-Command Ceremony set for July 25

A change-of-command ceremony will take place on the International Space Station at 9:40 am ET on July 25, 2026 as command is transferred from Russia’s Sergey Kud-Sverchkov to NASA’s Jessica Meir.

Critical NASA Deep Space ground station in Spain evacuated due to wildfires

Critical NASA Deep Space ground station in Spain evacuated due to wildfires.

Bullish takes

SpaceX continues rapid iteration on Starship with Flight 13 attempt, signaling progress toward fully reusable super‑heavy launch system.

Critical takes

Weather‑related scrubs and imaging constraints highlight operational fragility and environmental dependencies in Starship test campaign.

Why this matters

Starship Flight 13 advances V3 vehicle testing and Starlink deployment; ISS command transition maintains operations continuity; station evacuation highlights ground infrastructure risks.