SpaceX Aborts 13th Starship Flight After 4 of 33 Engines Fail to Ignite
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jul 16
SpaceX Aborts 13th Starship Flight After 4 of 33 Engines Fail to Ignite
3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jul 16
Summary
Four of Starship’s 33 engines failed to ignite about a second before liftoff Thursday, forcing an automatic abort of the 407-foot rocket’s 13th test flight at Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX’s webcast showed ignition starting three seconds before launch, then the other 29 engines shutting down as the system kept the vehicle on the pad and crews began draining fuel.
Elon Musk said two engines will be replaced before another attempt, which he said is most likely early next week.
Twenty next-generation Starlink satellites were aboard for the planned hourlong, half-globe test flight, and Starship remains central to SpaceX’s satellite ambitions and NASA’s Artemis moon-landing plans.
Can SpaceX's costly AI bet justify its valuation amid launch failures and a slumping stock price?
Did the launch abort prove Starship is safer, despite the public failure and subsequent stock drop?
With Starship engine failures persisting, is NASA's 2028 Artemis moon landing mission now in serious doubt?
SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Scrub: Impacts on NASA, Investors, and the Future of Commercial Space
Overview
On July 16, 2026, SpaceX scrubbed the highly anticipated 13th Starship test flight after an automatic shutdown, despite extensive preparations and Booster 20 being ready on the launch pad at Starbase, Texas. This setback temporarily paused Starship’s development and testing, prompting further technical analysis to understand the cause. The delay highlights the challenges of SpaceX’s ambitious goals, as Starship is crucial for NASA’s lunar missions, Starlink expansion, and future Mars plans. The scrub also impacted investor sentiment, given SpaceX’s recent IPO and the importance of consistent test success for both financial performance and the broader space industry.