- SpaceX aborted its Starship Flight 13 test launch due to an automatic abort, which caused its stock to fall more than 3% in extended trading.
- The launch was scrubbed shortly after a 90-minute launch window opened at 6:45 p.m. ET, with the company announcing the decision on a livestream.
- The automatic launch abort was triggered because some of the engines did not start as planned.
- The rocket was set to launch from SpaceX's Starbase complex in South Texas when a hold was triggered on the booster.
- This mission was intended to be the first test flight of Starship V3, an upgraded version of the rocket.
SpaceX's Starship Flight 13 was aborted just before liftoff on Thursday due to engine failures, prompting CEO Elon Musk to express hopes for a new launch attempt soon. The mission was set to be the first test flight of the upgraded Starship V3 rocket, which stands at approximately 400 feet tall.126
The launch was scrubbed at the end of the countdown when the rocket's automated flight computer triggered a hold, shutting down the engines as they began to ignite. A SpaceX employee noted that the hold was initiated due to some engines failing to start. Musk confirmed this in a statement, indicating that the team would work on resolving the issues.
Following the aborted launch, SpaceX shares fell more than 3% in after-hours trading, closing at $131.11, which is below the IPO price of $135. This decline reflects investor concerns over the mission's failure and its implications for future launches. The company had previously raised $85.7 billion in its IPO, marking it as the largest on record.
The Federal Aviation Administration had cleared SpaceX to fly again after an earlier test flight in May ended in failure, leading to an investigation into the rocket's performance. The agency's report cited two probable causes for the previous mishap, prompting SpaceX to implement corrective actions to prevent future issues.
As part of the mission, Starship was expected to deploy 20 next-generation Starlink satellites, which would connect with the broader constellation before reentering the atmosphere approximately 20 minutes post-deployment. A new launch date has yet to be determined.
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CNBC
