SpaceX stopped the launch of its 12th Starship rocket from Texas on Thursday and said it will attempt the high-stakes test flight again on Friday, as Elon Musk's space company nears a record-breaking public listing.
Starship V3, uncrewed and featuring dozens of upgrades tailored for rapid Starlink satellite launches and NASA moon missions, was to be a key test for the vehicle following months of testing delays.
The launch was called off seconds before the planned liftoff after several pauses in the countdown linked to fuel temperature and pressure readings.
"If that can be fixed tonight, there will be another launch attempt tomorrow," Musk said of the faulty arm.
SpaceX said it was preparing for another attempt during a 90-minute window opening at 5:30 p.m. Central Time (2230 GMT) on Friday.
The test carries wider significance for SpaceX as the company approaches what could be the biggest initial public offering in history, with Reuters reporting it is targeting a valuation of $1.75 trillion.
SpaceX has spent more than $15 billion developing the fully reusable Starship system, which Musk sees as central to cutting launch costs, expanding Starlink and pursuing deep-space exploration and orbital data centre ambitions.
Before Thursday's attempt, Musk sought to lower expectations in case of another setback, saying there was "a large pipeline of V3 ships and boosters in the factory" and that failure would not affect future Starship test cadence by more than a month or so.
The company's engineering culture is built around a flight-testing strategy that pushes new spacecraft towards failure and then refines them through frequent repeat tests.
Standing amidst the shattered concrete, twisted reinforcing bars...
SpaceX stopped the launch of its 12th Starship rocket from Texas on Thursday and said it will attempt the high-stakes test flight again on Friday, ...
U.S. President Donald Trump surprised NATO allies by announcing plans to deploy an additional 5,000 American tr...
The U.S. has arrested Adys Lastres Morera, the sister of the head of GAESA, a military-run business group which owns ...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 22nd May, covering the latest ...
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U.S. President Donald Trump surprised NATO allies by announcing plans to deploy an additional 5,000 American troops to Poland, just hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio was due to meet alliance ministers in Sweden on Friday against the backdrop of growing divisions over the Iran war.
The U.S. has arrested Adys Lastres Morera, the sister of the head of GAESA, a military-run business group which owns Cuba’s most profitable enterprises, including the island’s five-star hotels, and its largest port.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 22nd May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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