The giant rocket last completed a test flight in May, its twelfth.Image: x
A planned further test flight of the largest rocket system ever built was canceled shortly before takeoff.
Jul 17, 2026, 3:04 amJuly 17, 2026, 06:11
“Some engines failed to fire, which triggered an automatic launch abort,” wrote SpaceX boss Elon Musk on Platform X.
Some of the engines didn’t start, triggering an automatic launch abort.
Now offloading propellant.
Next launch attempt hopefully in a few days.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 16, 2026
“The next launch attempt will hopefully take place in a few days.” The giant rocket last completed a test flight in May, its twelfth.
Some engines also failed, but otherwise the test went largely according to plan. “Version 3” of the Starship was used for the first time. According to the company, this is a completely revised version of the giant rocket in terms of design and performance, among other things.
The Starship is supposed to go to the moon and Mars
The US space agency Nasa wants to send astronauts to the moon with the Starship, while SpaceX aims to one day reach Mars. The missile system is taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York. It consists of two parts that separate after launch: the Super Heavy booster, which is approximately 70 meters long, and the upper stage – also called Starship – which measures around 50 meters. Both pieces are designed to be reused at some point after returning to Earth.
The rocket system was tested for the first time in April 2023 – and exploded completely after a few minutes. During further tests, the upper stage reached the edge of space and landed in a controlled manner in the Indian Ocean. However, several test flights fell well short of expectations.
SpaceX recently completed its largest IPO to date, but the shares recently fell below the issue price. (sda/dpa)