Take Two for Starship 13: Starship 13 to launch July 23 after last-minute scrub. SpaceX is targeting a July 23 launch for the 13th test flight of Starship. The previous launch, scheduled for July 16, was scrubbed last minute due to several engines failing to ignite during the final ignition sequence. FOX 35’s Marlisa Goldsmith speaks with Ken Kremer, the Founding and Managing Editor, Space UpClose, about Starship’s past, present and future – as well as the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of MRV-MEP mission on July 21, 2026. Screenshot: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. Video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-lwemqxj6fxz5fkb3
TITUSVILLE, FL – On July 22, I was interviewed live on FOX 35 Orlando about the 2nd attempt to launch the 13th SpaceX Starship test flight from Starbase, Texas shortly before the then planned liftoff on July 23.
Bad weather intervened and SpaceX then rescheduled the liftoff to July 24
The first attempt to launch Starship 13th test flight was scrubbed at T-Zero with an last moment ignitions abort called by the flight computers when 4 of the 33 first stage Super heavy Raptor version 3 engines failed to ignite during the final ignition sequence.
The limit is 3 or 10% and thus 4 engines out is unacceptable and an abort condition before the rocket is released from the pad for liftoff
SpaceX replaced several Raptors and did additional engine testing on a test stand
In addition to the upcoming test flight 13we discussed why I believe SpaceX should focus on the human lander for NASA not Starlinks, and the race for the moon with China.
Starship Test flight 13 does not advance NASA’s Artemis in that there is no further testing or development of the cryogenic propellent transfer essential to enable the human lunar lander version of Starship
SpaceX graphic shows NASAs Orion crew spacecraft docked to the Starship version 3 upper stage equipped with a docking ring during the Artemis III test flight. However Starship will not feature a pressurized crew cabin thus the crew cannot enter inside. This graphic used during Ken Kremer of Space UpClose interview with WESH 2 NBC Orlando. Credit: SpaceX / NASA
In closing we also discussed the Falcon 9 launch on July 21of the MRV MEP robotic satellite rescue mission built by Northrop Grumman Corporation. 3 my prelaunch photos of Falcon 9 at pad 40 CCSFS were featured in the interview
Watch my complete live interview on Fox 35 Orlando on July 22, 2026 – here including on YouTube:
Caption: Take Two for Starship 13: Starship 13 to launch July 23 after last-minute scrub. SpaceX is targeting a July 23 launch for the 13th test flight of Starship. The previous launch, scheduled for July 16, was scrubbed last minute due to several engines failing to ignite during the final ignition sequence. FOX 35’s Marlisa Goldsmith speaks with Ken Kremer, the Founding and Managing Editor, Space UpClose, about Starship’s past, present and future – as well as the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of MRV-MEP mission on July 21, 2026. Screenshot: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. Video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-lwemqxj6fxz5fkb3
Take Two for Starship 13: Starship 13 to launch July 23 after last-minute scrub. SpaceX is targeting a July 23 launch for the 13th test flight of Starship. The previous launch, scheduled for July 16, was scrubbed last minute due to several engines failing to ignite during the final ignition sequence. FOX 35’s Marlisa Goldsmith speaks with Ken Kremer, the Founding and Managing Editor, Space UpClose, about Starship’s past, present and future – as well as the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of MRV-MEP mission on July 21, 2026. Screenshot: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. Video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-lwemqxj6fxz5fkb3
SpaceX says they have made several upgrades in response to the issues seen on flight 12 when the boostback firing of the first stage engines failed and the upper stage raptors did not relight
Watch my complete live interview on Fox 35 Orlando on July 16, 2026 recorded for the initial launch attempt – here including on Youtube:
Caption: The 13th SpaceX Starship rocket is launching tonight [July 16, 2026] in Boca Chica, Texas — a little over a month after the mixed success of #12. FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer speaks with Ken Kremer, Founding and Managing Editor of Space UpClose, about Starship’s history and its potential future
The 13th SpaceX Starship rocket is launching tonight [July 16, 2026] in Boca Chica, Texas — a little over a month after the mixed success of #12. FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer speaks with Ken Kremer, Founding and Managing Editor of Space UpClose, about Starship’s history and its potential future. Screenshot: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox35 Orlando. Video: https://youtu.be/HYpTDUCNrUI?si=67hbLbqfa55APohR. Note: Liftoff scrubbed due to engine issueI have witnessed 2 Starship launches from a far distance
Starship Test Flight 8 exploded inflight on March 6, 2025 while I was watching from a Cruise Ship in the Caribbean near Grand Cayman island.
The 2nd was the more successful test flight 11 launched on October 13, 2025 as I watched from Titusville, FL
See my photos below.
The eighth flight test of SpaceX Starship exploded on March 6, 2025 about 8 minutes after launch while soaring over the Caribbean following liftoff from Starbase in Texas at 6:30 PM ET. As seen from on board Venezia Carnival Cruise line ship. Credit: Ken Kremer/Space Upclose.comVery bright SpaceX Starship IFT Test Flight 11 rocket soars south of Florida from West to East and very low in the sky above the horizon – as seen from a distance over 400 hundred miles away. Looking like a comet streaking across the sky – after launch at 723 pm ET on October 23, 2025 from Starbase, Tx. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com
60 sec Timelapse streak shot of SpaceX Starship IFT Test Flight 11 rocket soars south of Florida from West to East and very low in the sky above the horizon – as seen from a distance over 400 hundred miles away. After launch at 723 pm ET on October 23, 2025 from Starbase, Tx. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com
Recent Ken Kremer TV interviews about Starship and more:
The 13th SpaceX Starship rocket is launching tonight [July 16, 2026] in Boca Chica, Texas — a little over a month after the mixed success of #12. FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer speaks with Ken Kremer, Founding and Managing Editor of Space UpClose, about Starship’s history and its potential future. Screenshot: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox35 Orlando. Video: https://youtu.be/HYpTDUCNrUI?si=67hbLbqfa55APohR. Note: Liftoff scrubbed due to engine issueDr. Ken Kremer of Space UpClose interviewed by WESH 2 NBC Orlando on 21 July 2026 about the second attempt to launch Starship Test Flight 13 following ignition abort during 1st attempt . Screenshot: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Wesh 2 NBC Orlando
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news. Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics. Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events.
JETTY PARK BEACH/PORT CANAVERAL, FL – SpaceX achieved a record setting launch of two Falcon 9 rockets just 38.5 minutes apart on Saturday night, Aug. 15 with a pair of bicoastal orbital deliveries for Globalstar and the US Space Force from company launch pads in Florida and California. The record setting launch cadence began with a stunning Saturday evening launch
NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – SHUTTLE LANDING FACILITY – NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told me that he is “extremely confident” that NASA’s Artemis III mission will launch next year in 2027 where NASA’s Orion crewed spacecraft is scheduled to dock with both of the commercial human lunar landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin – under contract to NASA.
