SpaceX Aborts Starship Test Seconds Before Launch, Shares Dip Below IPO Price
An automatic engine abort halted the 13th flight of the world's largest rocket, delaying key satellite and lunar technology tests and sending the newly public company's stock lower.
SpaceX aborted the thirteenth test flight of its Starship rocket less than a second before liftoff from South Texas on Thursday, after several of the booster’s 33 Raptor engines failed to ignite. The last-second scrub, the first for a full-scale Starship, immediately rippled through financial markets: shares of the company, which went public in a record initial offering in June, fell more than 3 percent in after-hours trading and closed the regular session at $131.11, below the $135 IPO price for the first time.
The automatic abort was triggered as the Super Heavy booster began its ignition sequence. Telemetry displayed during the company’s webcast indicated that four engines did not start, prompting the onboard safety system to halt the countdown. Chief Executive Elon Musk wrote on X that “some of the engines didn’t start,” and later added that two Raptor engines would be removed and replaced “to be confident of a good flight.” The launch team immediately began offloading propellant from the 124-metre vehicle at the Starbase facility.
The mission was to be the first Starship flight since the company’s Wall Street debut and the second outing of the upgraded third-generation vehicle. Its objectives included the maiden deployment of 20 Starlink V3 satellites—designed to test laser links and photograph the heat shield—as well as an in-space relight of a Raptor engine and evaluation of improved thermal protection tiles. The previous test in May, while largely successful, ended with the Super Heavy booster crashing into the Gulf of Mexico after engine problems prevented a controlled return. SpaceX has since modified hardware and software to address those issues.
Viewed from Washington, the delay carries weight beyond commercial satellite plans. NASA has contracted SpaceX to produce a modified Starship as a lunar landing system for the Artemis programme, with a crewed landing targeted for later this decade. The company’s progress is also closely watched by investors who have priced in ambitious growth from the Starlink internet service and potential space-based data centres.
The next factual milestone is the replacement of the two suspect engines and a subsequent launch attempt, which Musk said is most likely early next week. SpaceX engineers will spend the intervening days analysing the abort trigger to determine whether a deeper investigation is required before the rocket can return to the pad.
| Latin American press | +0.20 | neutral |
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| Atlantic / Anglosphere press | +0.60 | aligned |
| Continental European press | −0.10 | neutral |
The world's largest rocket is taking another step toward the Moon, now with real satellites on board, bringing humanity closer to lunar return.
By emphasizing the rocket's size and its role in NASA's lunar plans, the narrative normalizes the test as a natural progression in space exploration, downplaying any risks.
The financial stakes for investors and the 'world first' narrative are omitted, which would add a more urgent or celebratory tone.
SpaceX is about to achieve a world first, launching the next-generation Starlink satellites on the most powerful rocket ever built, a critical step toward Mars.
By framing the launch as a 'world first' and linking it to Mars colonization, the narrative projects future success and downplays the experimental nature of the test.
The previous test's problems and the need for corrections are omitted, which would introduce caution and reduce the celebratory tone.
This test is decisive for investors and space programs, as it must prove that previous problems have been fixed, and its success is essential for satellite internet and lunar missions.
By highlighting previous problems and the need for corrections, the narrative creates a hierarchy of risks and stakes, making the test appear as a high-stakes evaluation rather than a routine step.
The 'world first' achievement and the specific payload details (20 satellites) are omitted, which would add a positive, milestone-oriented perspective.
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