First operational Starlink deployment from Starship According to SpaceX, Flight 13 was the first Starship mission to deploy operational Starlink V3 satellites rather than mass simulators used during earlier test flights. The mission released 20 satellites while following a suborbital trajectory, allowing engineers to validate the vehicle’s payload deployment system under realistic flight conditions. The company intentionally flew the vehicle through challenging re-entry conditions to collect data on its thermal protection system, flight controls, and structural performance. Successfully deploying operational Starlink satellites, validating in-space engine relight, and returning the upper stage largely intact represent important steps toward routine Starship missions. The vehicle is expected to become the primary launcher for future generations of Starlink satellites while also supporting NASA’s Artemis lunar program and, eventually, SpaceX’s long-term ambitions for Mars exploration.