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last mo.

SpaceX Aborts Starship Launch After Multiple Raptor Engines Fail to Ignite

The last‑second ignition abort leaves key Starship tests incomplete and raises timing pressure for NASA’s planned 2027 lunar lander while increasing investor scrutiny after SpaceX’s recent IPO.

Image
El cohete Starship durante una prueba de lanzamiento de SpaceX.
La prueba era el decimotercer vuelo del gigantesco cohete Starship.
SpaceX suspendió el vuelo de Starship por fallas en el encendido de motores.

Overview

  • SpaceX triggered an automatic abort during the Super Heavy booster start sequence on Thursday when telemetry and live feeds showed several of the booster’s 33 Raptor engines did not ignite.
  • The pad water‑deluge system activated at T‑0, SpaceX began unloading propellant, and Elon Musk said engineers will remove and replace two Raptor engines before a rescheduled attempt that could be made in a few days or early next week.
  • The flight would have carried 20 Starlink V3 satellites and aimed to test an in‑space Raptor restart and the upgraded thermal shield, so the abort leaves those validation goals unfinished.
  • Markets reacted to the failure: SpaceX shares fell roughly 3% in after‑hours trading, reflecting heightened investor attention since the company’s June IPO.
  • The incident highlights the technical risk of a 33‑engine ignition sequence and follows May’s V3 test that also had multiple engine problems and a booster loss in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing near‑term schedule pressure for NASA’s lunar program.