At 5:45 PM local time on July 16, SpaceX's Starship was scheduled to conduct its 13th flight test from the "Interstellar Base" launch facility in southern Texas. However, due to multiple engines failing to ignite during the "last second," an automatic abort procedure was triggered, causing the test flight to be postponed.
According to CNN, live broadcast images from SpaceX's launch site showed that the engines began firing three seconds before the scheduled lift-off. Although the company did not provide detailed information, screen data indicated that four engines were not fired, and the remaining 29 engines were then shut down, keeping the rocket on the launch pad. This is the first time the full-size Starship has experienced such a last-minute emergency abort situation.
StarShip aborted launch SpaceX
Musk posted on social platform X, saying, "Some engines failed to start, triggering the automatic launch abort program. The propellant is being unloaded. The next test flight is expected to take place in a few days." He also stated that to ensure a smooth test flight, two Raptor engines will be replaced, and the most likely test flight time will be at the beginning of next week.
This is the second flight test of the Starship V3. The 12th flight test was conducted on May 22, 2026, which also marked the first flight of the V3. SpaceX originally planned to launch on May 21, but during the countdown, the launch was suspended due to issues with the temperature and pressure readings of the propellant, and the launch was canceled seconds before takeoff. At that time, Musk stated that a hydraulic pin on the “stick” robotic arm at the launch tower failed to retract properly. After overnight repairs, the launch was postponed to the next day.
