SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft returned to the test stand for engine checks in preparation for an upcoming test flight, less than a week after its last test. The upper stage of SpaceX's massive Starship rocket, referred to as “ship,” underwent a static fire test of all six Raptor engines at the company’s McAllen site at Starbase, Texas.

According to Space website, Ship 40 is preparing for the 13th experimental flight of a fully equipped Starship spacecraft, which is expected to take place in approximately one month.

Details of SpaceX’s Starship engine test

SpaceX posted a video of the engine test on its official account, showing several angles of the ignition sequence and all six engines (Ship is equipped with three Raptor engines optimized for operation at sea level and three optimized for operation in space) working to simulate flight conditions aboard the spacecraft.

Ship 40 conducted its first static fire test ever last week, firing one Raptor engine for approximately 15 seconds. This latest test included all six Raptor engines and lasted a full minute.

The “Starship” V3 rocket’s second launch will feature the “Starship” SN4 spacecraft, which SpaceX unveiled during a test flight on May 22. The mission went smoothly for the most part but was not entirely successful; the Super Heavy booster failed to maneuver for a smooth landing in the ocean as planned.

Therefore, Flight 13 is likely to mimic the trajectory and mission objectives of Flight 12 to a large extent, including restarting one of the Raptor engines on the spacecraft in space.

Starship is SpaceX’s super-heavy-lift launch vehicle designed for smooth landing and reusability. The most capable V3 stands at 124.4 meters (408 feet), about 1.5 meters (5 feet) taller than the V2, making it the largest and most powerful rocket ever launched.

Once the rocket is fully developed and operational, SpaceX has ambitious plans for it, including expanding its Starlink internet constellation in low Earth orbit and landing NASA astronauts on the Moon as part of the Artemis program.

The spacecraft will be capable of carrying heavier payloads into orbit than any other rocket in history. The successful engine test brings SpaceX one step closer to Starship Flight 13.

The next steps before launch include moving the Super Heavy booster to the launch platform at Starship Base for its own engine tests. Super Heavy has 33 Raptor engines on its front, producing a thrust of nearly 20 million pounds at liftoff. If the static fire tests for Super Heavy go smoothly, Flight 13 could happen as early as August.