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51m ago

SpaceX Scrubs Starship Flight 10 Over Ground LOX Leak

A ground-side liquid-oxygen leak forced the stand-down, with SpaceX planning a new attempt Monday evening pending repairs.

A SpaceX Super Heavy booster carrying the Starship spacecraft vents before the launch is scrubbed to allow for troubleshooting of a ground issue at the company's launch complex in Starbase, Texas, U.S., August 24, 2025. REUTERS/Steve Nesius/File Photo
A SpaceX Starship spacecraft rolls out toward its launch pad past the Starbase Manufacturing Facility before its 10th test flight from the company's complex in Starbase, Texas, U.S., August 23, 2025. REUTERS/Steve Nesius
A SpaceX Starship spacecraft sits atop a super heavy booster at the launch pad Aug. 25 before its scheduled tenth test flight, at the company's complex in Starbase, Texas. SpaceX scrubbed the launch and is now targeting an Aug. 25 launch window.
A SpaceX Starship spacecraft sits atop a super heavy booster at the launch pad before its scheduled tenth test flight, at the company's complex in Starbase, Texas, U.S., August 24, 2025. REUTERS/Steve Nesius

Overview

  • SpaceX halted the tenth Starship test minutes before liftoff from Starbase, Texas, after beginning propellant loading and citing a ground-systems issue.
  • Elon Musk said the problem was a ground-side liquid oxygen leak that must be fixed, and the company is targeting a Monday 7:30 p.m. ET window subject to change.
  • The mission plan remains to stress-test the upper stage with a half-globe flight, attempt a Raptor engine relight, and evaluate heat-shield tiles and control flaps during reentry over the Indian Ocean.
  • The Super Heavy booster is slated for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico rather than a launch-tower catch, including testing a backup landing-burn configuration.
  • The scrub follows a difficult year that saw three upper-stage losses during flights and a June static-fire explosion, intensifying scrutiny of Starship’s reliability and its role in NASA’s Artemis plans.