SpaceX Starship megarocket achieves key milestones in successful test flight

SpaceX's Starship megarocket successfully completed its 13th integrated flight test on Friday, July 24, 2026, achieving significant milestones for the ambitious program. The Starship upper stage executed its "softest splashdown" to date in the Indian Ocean, remaining intact after a controlled descent, a notable improvement over prior tests. This mission also marked the first time the Starship successfully deployed 20 operational Starlink V3 satellites, a crucial step toward enhancing internet connectivity and advancing the rocket's capabilities for future orbital and lunar missions. The Super Heavy booster performed an on-target but firm splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, despite some engines not restarting for the final landing burn.

In separate space news, a joint U.S.-Russian crew safely returned to Earth on Sunday, July 26, 2026, after an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA astronaut Chris Williams and his Russian counterparts, Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, touched down in Kazakhstan aboard their Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft. The successful landing near Dzhezkazgan concluded their 241-day stint on the orbiting outpost, highlighting continued international cooperation in space exploration.