• 2 min read
Starship test abort stops Flight 13 at the pad
SpaceX halted Starship Flight Test 13 just before liftoff after four Raptor engines failed to start. Elon Musk said two engines will be replaced.
Image: The Register
SpaceX scrubbed Starship Flight Test 13 at the launchpad after four Raptor engines failed to start, triggering an automatic abort moments before liftoff.
The company ignited the booster’s engines at 2245 UTC on July 16, but the launch was halted by the vehicle’s automated system. Elon Musk said:
“Some of the engines didn’t start, triggering an automatic launch abort… To be confident of a good flight, two Raptors will be removed and replaced. Most probable launch timing is early next week.”
It is still unclear what caused the problem, and whether the vehicle will need to be de-stacked so the engines can be swapped. While the abort showed the booster’s anomaly-detection systems working as intended, it also underlines a problem for a rocket that is supposed to launch repeatedly on a tight cadence to support the Artemis IV Moon landing planned for 2028.
Flight Test 13 was the second test of Starship’s V3 configuration. The vehicle has not yet reached orbit, but a successful mission — including engine reignition in space — would likely allow SpaceX to move beyond suborbital tests. That matters because Artemis III is scheduled to launch next year, and Starship must be qualified for orbital operations by then.
The failed attempt also comes as investor enthusiasm has cooled. After an earlier rally briefly made Musk a trillionaire on paper, SpaceX shares closed at just over $131, below the $135 initial public offering price that valued the loss-making company at about $1.78 trillion.
Recommended reading
BrainCo demos mind-controlled robot platform at WAIC
NASA is watching closely. The agency said yesterday it will use Starlink to deliver Artemis III imagery from Orion. SpaceX, though, still has not officially confirmed a date for the next Starship launch attempt, despite Musk’s suggestion of early next week.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via The Register
