On June 27, Ship 40, the candidate upper stage of SpaceX's next Starship test flight, has commenced ground ignition testing at the Massey Test Site at SpaceX's Starbase in Texas, USA. On Friday local time, SpaceX released a video showing that Ship 40 completed a single-engine static fire, igniting a center-mounted Raptor 3 engine for approximately 15 seconds. Static fires aim to confirm that the spacecraft's engines are in working condition prior to launch. Ship 40 is planned to be used for the 13th integrated Starship test flight, equipped with six Raptor 3 engines, three optimized for sea-level conditions and three for the vacuum of space. The test, which ignited only one engine, does not mean the entire spacecraft is ready for launch. Ship 40 will still require testing of all six engines, and the accompanying Super Heavy booster will also need to complete testing of its 33 engines. Only after all these ground tests are passed will SpaceX proceed to full flight preparations. This ignition occurred about a month after the first test flight of the Starship V3 version. On May 22, SpaceX launched the upgraded V3 Starship, and the mission was largely successful, though there were still malfunctions during the flight, including the Super Heavy booster's failure to complete a controlled splashdown at sea as planned. V3 is currently the largest and most powerful version of the Starship, standing approximately 124.4 meters tall, and is the first version to use Raptor 3 engines. In addition to the engines, V3 also features improvements to its grid fins, thermal protection, fuel capacity, and adds docking ports for in-space fuel transfer. SpaceX has not yet announced the specific mission details and launch date for Flight 13, but according to Space.com, with Ship 40 completing its first static fire, SpaceX is advancing preparations for the next full flight and may launch before the end of this summer. The subsequent progress of the Starship is also crucial to NASA's Artemis moon landing program, as NASA has selected SpaceX's Starship as the crewed lunar lander. To truly carry out lunar landing missions, the Starship still needs to demonstrate key capabilities such as in-space fuel transfer, which have not yet been fully demonstrated.