SpaceX Scrubs Starship Test Flight Due to Technical Issues
Elon Musk cites concerns over ground pressure and announces plans to inspect the rocket before rescheduling the launch attempt.
- SpaceX aborted the eighth test flight of its Starship rocket seconds before liftoff due to technical concerns, including insufficient ground spin start pressure.
- The launch was intended to test upgrades made after the previous Starship test in January, which ended in a mid-air explosion over the Caribbean.
- Elon Musk explained that the rocket will be destacked and inspected to address the issues, with another attempt expected in the coming days, though no official date has been announced.
- Starship's mission includes testing payload deployment, re-entry procedures, and booster recovery using launch tower 'chopstick' arms, aiming for full reusability.
- The rocket, critical to Musk’s Mars ambitions and NASA's Artemis program, has incorporated several hardware changes to improve reliability following past failures.