Key Takeaways

  • SpaceX aborted the second Starship V3 launch shortly after ignition.
  • Engine failures triggered an automatic launch abort.
  • The company plans to replace two engines before the next launch attempt.
  • SpaceX’s stock fell after the aborted launch.

Launch Attempt Aborted

SpaceX’s second attempt to launch its upgraded Starship V3 rocket was abruptly halted on Thursday, just moments after the booster ignited at its facility in South Texas. CEO Elon Musk announced on social media that the launch was aborted due to some engines failing to start, prompting an automatic shutdown of the countdown.

Next Steps for SpaceX

Musk indicated that the company would replace two of the engines and would not attempt another launch until the following week. The goal of this launch was to deploy the first third-generation Starlink satellites, which are expected to burn up shortly after deployment since Starship has yet to prove it can reach Earth orbit.

Stock Market Reaction

This launch attempt marked SpaceX’s first since its record-breaking IPO on June 12, where it raised over $85 billion. However, the company’s stock has seen a decline, closing below its IPO price of $135, and dropping more than 4% in after-hours trading following the aborted launch.

Previous Launch Challenges

SpaceX’s initial launch of Starship V3 in May was a mixed success. While the rocket successfully lifted off and deployed several Starlink simulators, the Super Heavy booster experienced a failure before it could attempt a simulated landing, leading to an FAA review. The FAA recently cleared SpaceX to proceed with further flights after identifying issues and solutions related to the booster failure.

Launch Countdown Details

During Thursday’s launch attempt, the countdown appeared to be proceeding smoothly, with only a brief hold at T-minus one minute. As the countdown reached zero, the launchpad’s water deluge system activated, and the booster ignited. However, the launch was abruptly halted when it became evident that four of the new Raptor engines did not ignite as expected.

Future Plans

SpaceX will need to drain the propellant from both the Super Heavy booster and the upper stage before investigating the cause of the failure. The company aims to make progress with the Starlink project, which is crucial for its long-term plans to establish orbital data centers and is currently its main source of revenue.