Spacex Halts Starship V3 Launch at Critical Moment
WHO:
SpaceNews - SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk stated, “To be confident of a good flight, 2 Raptors will be removed & replaced. Most probable launch timing is early next week.”
Space.com - SpaceX is the organization involved in the Starship launch.
WHAT:
SpaceNews - The Flight 13 mission is carrying 20 functioning Starlink V3 satellites, which will undergo about 20 minutes of tests before reentry.
Fast Company - The Starship is 407 feet (124 meters) tall and equipped with 33 main engines, making it the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket.
SpaceNews - The Flight 13 mission is carrying 20 functioning Starlink V3 satellites that will be deployed once Starship is in space.
SpaceNews - Each Starlink V3 satellite will provide 1 terabit per second of downlink capacity, 10 times better than existing Starlink satellites, and 160 gigabits per second of uplink capacity, 22 times better.
SpaceNews - The satellites have upgraded phased-array antennas and backhaul antennas that operate on Ka-, E-, V-, and W-bands, improving capacity by a factor of eight.
SpaceNews - The solar arrays of the Starlink V3 satellites generate twice the power of those for existing V2 satellites.
Phys.org - SpaceX's mega Starship rocket came within a second or so from blasting off on a test flight, but some of the engines failed to ignite, triggering a launch abort amid billowing clouds of smoke and vapor.
NY Post - Elon Musk announced via X, “Next launch attempt hopefully in a few days.”
Ars Technica - SpaceX is currently offloading propellant and hopes to attempt the next launch in a few days.
Space.com - SpaceX aborted Flight 13 of its Starship rocket at the last second.
TechCrunch - SpaceX's stock plunged more than 4% in after-hours trading before paring losses.
WHEN:
SpaceNews - The next launch attempt is anticipated to occur "early next week."
Space.com - The abort occurred on Thursday (July 16).
WHY:
Fast Company - The automatic launch system halted the launch due to too few operating engines, which could have resulted in a failed launch.
TechCrunch - The company did not immediately disclose what went wrong during the launch attempt.
HOW:
Fast Company - The launch team began draining the fuel from the rocket immediately after the abort.
SpaceNews - The brief flight will allow engineers to “speed run” deployment and communications tests for the Starlink V3 satellites.
Space.com - The launch was aborted at the last second, indicating a critical moment in the launch process.
(UPDATED July 17, 2026 17:21 UTC)
SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk announced that two Raptors will be removed and replaced to ensure a successful flight, with the next launch attempt expected early next week. The upcoming Flight 13 mission will carry 20 functioning Starlink V3 satellites, which will undergo approximately 20 minutes of testing before reentry, and the Starship, standing at 407 feet tall and equipped with 33 main engines, is the largest and most powerful rocket in existence. The automatic launch system previously halted the launch due to an insufficient number of operating engines, prompting the launch team to begin draining fuel from the rocket immediately after the abort.
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(UPDATED July 17, 2026 10:30 UTC)
The Flight 13 mission is set to carry 20 functioning Starlink V3 satellites, which will be deployed once the Starship reaches space. Each of these new satellites boasts impressive capabilities, providing one terabit per second of downlink capacity—ten times better than the current models—and 160 gigabits per second of uplink capacity, which is twenty-two times better. This brief flight will enable engineers to conduct rapid deployment and communications tests for the upgraded satellites, which feature enhanced antennas and solar arrays that generate twice the power of their predecessors.
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(UPDATED July 17, 2026 09:33 UTC)
SpaceX's mega Starship rocket was just seconds away from launching on a test flight when some of its engines failed to ignite, leading to a launch abort. The scene was dramatic, with billowing clouds of smoke and vapor surrounding the rocket as it remained grounded. This close call highlights the challenges SpaceX continues to face in its ambitious space exploration efforts.
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(UPDATED July 17, 2026 06:39 UTC)
Elon Musk has announced on X that the next launch attempt is hopefully just a few days away. This update comes as excitement builds around the upcoming mission. Fans and followers are eagerly awaiting more details as the launch date approaches.
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(UPDATED July 17, 2026 02:55 UTC)
SpaceX is currently offloading propellant as they prepare for their next launch attempt. The company is hopeful that this will happen in just a few days. Stay tuned for updates on their progress.
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(UPDATED July 17, 2026 00:21 UTC)
SpaceX has aborted Flight 13 of its Starship rocket at the last second, leading to a more than 4% drop in the company's stock during after-hours trading, although it later pared some of those losses. The company has not disclosed the specific reasons for the launch attempt's failure, which occurred on Thursday, July 16. This last-minute decision highlights a critical moment in the launch process for SpaceX.