SpaceX’s 13th Starship test flight was abruptly halted just moments before liftoff on Thursday at the Starbase facility in Texas after several engines failed to ignite, RT reported. The automatic launch abort was triggered during engine start-up, preventing the rocket from leaving the launch pad.
Footage from the scene showed plumes of smoke and vapor as the rocket’s engines began firing but ultimately failed to sustain thrust. SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot explained during the webcast that a hold was activated on the booster to abort liftoff as the Raptor engines were powering up. CEO Elon Musk later confirmed on X that the cause was multiple engines not starting, leading to the safety shutdown.
The planned mission involved deploying 20 of the newest Version 3 Starlink satellites into orbit. This setback comes after SpaceX implemented various upgrades following the May test flight, which ended with the Super Heavy V3 booster exploding during a simulated landing in the Gulf of Mexico. Although the upper-stage Starship disintegrated after splashdown in the Indian Ocean, SpaceX still declared that mission successful.
Following the failed launch attempt, SpaceX’s stock price dropped to $131.11 early Friday, falling below its IPO price of $135. Investor confidence has been wavering, with shares slipping to $132.28 on Wednesday amid doubts about the company’s ability to deliver profits that justify its trillion-dollar valuation. SpaceX went public last month through a record $75 billion offering that briefly made Musk the world’s first trillionaire.
The company is currently in fierce competition with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin to develop lunar landers for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon’s south pole. Meanwhile, Russia successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1a rocket from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome earlier this week, carrying cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon to the International Space Station.
Why this matters
The failed Starship launch highlights the technical challenges SpaceX continues to face as it pushes the boundaries of reusable rocket technology. With significant investments and high expectations from investors, these setbacks could impact the company’s future funding and market position. Additionally, SpaceX’s rivalry with Blue Origin in NASA’s lunar program underscores the growing competition in the commercial space sector.
SpaceX aims to resume launch attempts within days, signaling continued commitment to advancing its ambitious space exploration goals despite the recent hurdle.
