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SpaceX Delays Starship Flight 8 Test After Last-Minute Technical Issues

The world's most powerful rocket remains grounded as SpaceX addresses booster and upper-stage concerns ahead of a rescheduled launch attempt.

SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket is pictured after the company opted to delay of its eighth test flight from the Boca Chica launch pad in Brownsville, Texas.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center with a payload of Starlink satellites in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., January 8, 2025. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo
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Overview

  • SpaceX postponed the eighth test flight of its Starship rocket on Monday, citing low ground spin start pressure and other technical uncertainties.
  • The next launch attempt is now scheduled for Thursday evening from the Starbase facility in Texas, pending inspections and adjustments to both rocket stages.
  • This test follows a January flight where the Starship upper stage exploded mid-air due to propellant leaks, prompting design upgrades to improve reliability.
  • Key objectives for the test include deploying mock Starlink satellites, testing booster recovery via launch tower arms, and conducting an upper-stage splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
  • SpaceX is also expanding its Starship program to Florida, investing $1.8 billion in new facilities and launchpads, with operations expected to begin by the end of 2025.