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SpaceX suddenly aborts second Starship V3 launch after ignition
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SpaceX abruptly aborted the second attempted launch of its upgraded Starship rocket system on Thursday, just moments after the booster ignited at the company’s facility in South Texas. CEO Elon Musk announced on his social media platform X that "some of the engines didn’t start, triggering an automatic launch abort," and that SpaceX will replace two of them before the next attempt, which is expected no earlier than next week. The abort occurred shortly after ignition, with the countdown proceeding smoothly until a brief hold cleared just before liftoff.
Thursday’s launch was SpaceX’s first Starship test flight since its historic initial public offering on June 12, the largest IPO in history. The company raised over $85 billion in the transaction, briefly touching the valuations of Amazon and Microsoft, though its stock has steadily declined since. On Thursday, SpaceX’s stock closed below its IPO price of $135 and sank more than 4% in after-hours trading following the abort.
SpaceX aimed to deploy its first third-generation Starlink satellites during this flight, though they were designed to burn up 20 minutes after deployment since Starship has yet to demonstrate orbital capability. This mission followed the mixed results of the first Starship V3 launch in May, which successfully lifted off and deployed Starlink simulators but experienced a Super Heavy booster failure before a simulated Gulf of Mexico landing. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cleared SpaceX to fly again earlier this week after identifying causes and fixes for the booster issue, and the upper stage had performed its own water landing without problem.
Graphics on SpaceX’s broadcast indicated that four of the new Raptor engines did not fire upon ignition, leading to the automatic abort. The company now must remove all propellant from both the Super Heavy booster and the upper stage before diagnosing the exact failure. Musk stated that two engines will be replaced, suggesting that not all non-firing engines are necessarily defective.
The aborted test represents a setback for SpaceX’s ambitious plans to demonstrate that orbital data centers are technologically and economically viable, a concept heavily reliant on the upgraded Starship and Starlink systems. Starlink, the only profitable part of SpaceX’s business and its largest revenue generator, is critical to funding these developments. Delaying the deployment of V3 satellites could slow progress toward proving the business case.
Industry observers noted that while the abort is disappointing, it reflects the cautious approach needed for such complex systems. Musk’s transparency about the engine issues was praised, but investors reacted negatively, with after-hours stock decline. The company’s rapid iteration process suggests the next attempt may come quickly, pending analysis.
SpaceX now pivots to preparing for next week’s launch window, focusing on engine replacements and data review. Success would mark a major step toward orbital capability and the start of V3 Starlink operations. With each test, SpaceX edges closer to realizing its vision of reusable, high-capacity space transport, even as technical hurdles persist.
