According to reports from multiple outlets on October 16th, SpaceX’s Starship heavy-lift rocket had its 13th test flight abruptly called off at the “last second” during ignition. Elon Musk has since spoken out.
SpaceX shared a video of the Starship test flight on social media. This is a screenshot from that video.
CNBC reported that the 13th test flight was originally scheduled for October 16th, with a 90-minute launch window opening at 6:45 PM Eastern Time. The Associated Press noted that during the ignition phase just before liftoff, the engines suddenly stopped running.
Later that day, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted on social media, saying, “Some engines failed to start, triggering an automatic launch abort. Propellant is being offloaded. The next flight attempt could be in a few days.” He also added that two Raptor engines will be replaced to ensure a smooth test, with “the most likely test flight time being early next week.”
The Starship conducted its 12th test flight on May 22nd of this year. That was the first time the new-generation Starship system was fully integrated into a flight test, aiming to verify several key upgraded technologies. During that test, the rocket’s first stage, the Super Heavy booster, failed to complete its return braking burn and subsequently crashed uncontrolled into the Gulf of Mexico.
According to descriptions, the Starship rocket consists of two parts: the first stage is the roughly 70-meter-long Super Heavy booster, and the second stage is the Starship spacecraft. The rocket’s design goal is to transport people and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, and even Mars.