SpaceX Aborts 2nd Starship V3 Launch After 4 Engines Fail to Ignite
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 16
SpaceX Aborts 2nd Starship V3 Launch After 4 Engines Fail to Ignite
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 16
Summary
Seconds after booster ignition in South Texas, SpaceX halted its second Starship V3 launch attempt when an automatic abort triggered; Elon Musk said the next try will wait until next week.
Four Raptor engines appeared not to fire on the webcast, and Musk said two engines will be replaced before SpaceX drains propellant from both stages and investigates the failure.
The scrub came just days after the FAA cleared Starship to fly again following a review of May's V3 debut, when the booster failed before a simulated Gulf landing and the upper stage lost an engine.
Thursday's mission was meant to loft first third-generation Starlink satellites, a key step for Starlink—the company's only profitable business—and for SpaceX's orbital data-center plans.
SpaceX shares closed below their $135 IPO price and fell more than 4% after hours after the aborted launch, extending a slide since the company's $85 billion June 12 listing.
Can SpaceX's costly AI bet justify its valuation amid launch failures and a slumping stock price?
Did the launch abort prove Starship is safer, despite the public failure and subsequent stock drop?
With Starship engine failures persisting, is NASA's 2028 Artemis moon landing mission now in serious doubt?
SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Scrub: Impacts on NASA, Investors, and the Future of Commercial Space
Overview
On July 16, 2026, SpaceX scrubbed the highly anticipated 13th Starship test flight after an automatic shutdown, despite extensive preparations and Booster 20 being ready on the launch pad at Starbase, Texas. This setback temporarily paused Starship’s development and testing, prompting further technical analysis to understand the cause. The delay highlights the challenges of SpaceX’s ambitious goals, as Starship is crucial for NASA’s lunar missions, Starlink expansion, and future Mars plans. The scrub also impacted investor sentiment, given SpaceX’s recent IPO and the importance of consistent test success for both financial performance and the broader space industry.