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SpaceX scrubs Starship launch after some of its engines didn't start
Ars Technica • • general
Key Points:
- SpaceX aborted the countdown to launch its Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster at Starbase, Texas, due to a failure in engine startup during the Super Heavy booster's ignition sequence.
- Four of the 33 Raptor 3 engines on the Super Heavy booster failed to ignite, triggering an automatic launch abort and requiring the offloading of propellant.
- CEO Elon Musk announced that two Raptor engines will be replaced, with the next probable launch attempt expected early next week rather than the following day.
- The test flight aimed to address engine issues from the previous Flight 12, including modifications to the engine startup sequence to improve booster flip maneuver reliability and engine reignition during landing burns.
- A successful Flight 13 would advance SpaceX’s goal of achieving orbital flight, supporting Starlink launches, orbital refueling tests, and future lunar missions under NASA’s Artemis program.
