- SpaceX aborted its Falcon 9 Starlink launch at T-0 due to a mystery glitch on the morning of July 20.
- This incident marks the second straight abort for SpaceX, following a previous abort of Starship’s Flight 13 test just four days earlier.
- The mission was intended to launch 24 Starlink satellites and was SpaceX’s 85th Falcon 9 flight of the year.
- SpaceX confirmed the standing down from the launch, stating that the vehicle and payload remain safe.
- The liftoff for the Starlink mission is now targeted for Tuesday, July 21, at 10 am EDT.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket faced a rare setback on July 20, aborting its Starlink 17-39 mission at T-0 due to an unspecified glitch. This incident occurred at Vandenberg Space Force Base and marks the second consecutive launch scrub for SpaceX in just a few days.126
The Falcon 9 was scheduled to deploy 24 Starlink satellites, contributing to SpaceX's ongoing efforts to expand its satellite internet constellation. The abort was triggered by onboard systems just moments before liftoff, a situation that remains uncommon for the Falcon 9 fleet, which has had zero failures this year.5
This launch was intended to be SpaceX's 85th Falcon 9 flight of the year, highlighting the company's ambitious launch schedule. The previous abort occurred just four days earlier during a test flight of the Starship vehicle, raising concerns about the reliability of SpaceX's launch operations.
In a statement, SpaceX confirmed the scrub, stating, “Standing down from today’s Starlink launch; vehicle and payload remain safe.” The company has not disclosed the specific cause of the abort, but the liftoff is now rescheduled for July 21 at 10 am EDT.7
“SpaceX confirmed the vehicle and payload are safe but did not disclose the cause of the abort. The Starlink 17-39 mission, which would have been the 85th Falcon 9 launch of the year, is now targeted for Tuesday, July 21; the abort came just four days after Starship's own last-second abort.”
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