SpaceX Aborts Starship Launch Just Before Liftoff; Musk Eyes Early Next Week for Re-attempt

SpaceX was forced to abort the test flight of its massive Starship rocket moments before its scheduled liftoff from Starbase in Texas. The automated abort system activated due to an issue with the rocket's engines, prompting the cancellation of the planned mission.

CEO Elon Musk explained via his social media platform X that the abort occurred because some engines failed to ignite. He indicated that two Raptor engines would be replaced to ensure a safe flight, with the next launch attempt tentatively scheduled for early next week. The window for the launch was between 6:45 p.m. and 90 minutes afterward, Eastern Time, but an anomaly during the booster engine ignition sequence led to the shutdown.

This test flight was intended to be the first Starship V3 flight since the company's initial public offering (IPO). The V3 is an upgraded version of the 122-meter-tall rocket. A previous V3 test flight in May successfully launched but ended in a crash in the Gulf of Mexico when the booster failed to reignite engines for a soft landing. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the restart after an investigation, citing potential causes like thermal effects on propulsion system components and engine alarm system misconfigurations.

SpaceX had outlined four preventative measures to address these issues. The mission aimed to deploy 20 next-generation Starlink satellites and test their integration with the existing satellite network. Starship is considered a critical launch vehicle for SpaceX's Starlink expansion and NASA's Artemis lunar exploration program. Following the news of the launch abort, SpaceX's stock experienced a decline of over 3% in after-hours trading, falling below its IPO price of $135 per share.

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Some engines did not ignite, so the auto abort procedure activated. We will replace 2 Raptor engines, and the most likely launch time is early next week.