SpaceX Prepares for Starship Flight 7 With First Payload Deployment Test

The January 13 test will feature significant upgrades, reusable hardware, and a first-ever satellite deployment trial for the Starship program.

SpaceX's Starship Flight 7 is scheduled to launch on January 13, with a backup date of January 14, from its Starbase facility in Texas.
The test will include the deployment of ten mock satellites designed to simulate next-generation Starlink payloads, marking the first payload deployment trial for Starship.
Flight 7 will feature the debut of SpaceX's second-generation Starship upper stage, which includes redesigned flaps, improved avionics, and new heat shield tiles.
The mission will reuse a Raptor engine on the Super Heavy booster for the first time, a significant step in advancing SpaceX's reusability goals.
The Super Heavy booster will attempt a tower catch at the launch site, while the upper stage is expected to perform a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.