The thirteenth flight test of Starship is preparing to launch as soon as Thursday, July 16. The 90-minute launch window will open at 6:45 p.m. ET.
STARBASE, Texas — SpaceX scrubbed the planned launch of Starship Flight 13 Thursday evening after an automatic abort was triggered during the final seconds of the countdown, delaying the highly anticipated test mission that plays a key role in the company’s future plans for the Moon and Mars.
The countdown reached the final moments before liftoff when several of the Super Heavy booster’s 33 Raptor engines failed to ignite properly.
The launch computer immediately initiated an automatic shutdown, preventing the vehicle from leaving the pad. According to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, four engines did not light as expected, and two engines will be replaced before the next launch attempt, which could come as early as next week.
Following the scrub, SpaceX posted on social media that it was “standing down from today’s flight test attempt.” A new launch date has not yet been officially announced.
Flight 13 is the first mission designed to deploy 20 next-generation Starlink satellites, while also testing upgrades to the Starship Version 3 vehicle, including improvements to its propulsion, avionics and reusability systems.
The mission was expected to last just over an hour, with both the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage making controlled splashdowns rather than being recovered.
Despite the delay, the successful abort demonstrated the rocket’s built-in safety systems, which detected the engine issue and safely halted the launch sequence before liftoff.
The Starship program remains central to NASA’s Artemis campaign, with the agency selecting a modified Starship to serve as the Human Landing System for future lunar missions.
NASA continues preparing for upcoming Artemis demonstrations that will test rendezvous and docking operations before astronauts return to the Moon later this decade.
SpaceX will now inspect the vehicle, replace the affected engines, and prepare Starship Flight 13 for another launch attempt once the rocket is cleared for flight.
