SpaceX & Jeff Bezos' Prometheus: Latest Space & AI News July 2026

SpaceX Targets July 16 for Starship Flight 13

SpaceX is preparing for the 13th integrated flight test of its Starship vehicle, targeting as early as Thursday, July 16 from Starbase, Texas. The mission will carry 20 Starlink V3 satellites — the first operational payload aboard Starship.

Flight 13 follows the mostly successful Flight 12 on May 22, which flew an upgraded V3 vehicle but experienced anomalies. The Super Heavy booster failed to perform a controlled soft splashdown after 5 of 33 Raptor engines failed to ignite for the boostback burn. SpaceX traced the issue to engine startup timing during stage separation and has since implemented hardware and software fixes. A full-duration 33-engine static fire was completed on July 10.

The 90-minute launch window opens at 6:45 p.m. Eastern. The upper stage will deploy satellites, attempt a single Raptor engine relight in space, and target a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Six of the 20 V3 satellites carry cameras to image Starship's heat shield during reentry.

Jeff Bezos' Prometheus Hits $41B Valuation

Prometheus, the physical AI startup co-founded by Jeff Bezos and Vik Bajaj (former co-founder of Verily), raised $12 billion in Series B funding in June 2026 at a $41 billion valuation. The round included Bezos, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock.

Prometheus is building what it calls an "artificial general engineer" — AI software designed to automate the design and manufacturing of complex physical systems, from jet engines to drug compounds. It is one of the most richly valued AI startups and represents a major bet on the physical AI sector, which investors see as more defensible than pure software plays.

The startup launched in late 2025 with an initial $6.2 billion raise.

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