SpaceX cancels Starship test flight at the last minute due to "ground issue"
SpaceX canceled a test flight of its giant rocket "Starship" that was scheduled for Sunday, marking a new setback for Elon Musk's space transportation program.
The tenth flight of the rocket was set to launch from the company's Texas base at 6:30 PM local time (11:30 PM GMT), aiming to conduct a series of tests on the upper stage of the rocket before landing in the Indian Ocean.
However, the company announced the cancellation about 15 minutes before the planned launch time, stating on the "X" platform: "The tenth flight of the Starship vehicle today has been canceled to allow time to resolve an issue with ground systems," without providing further details.
This cancellation adds a new challenge to the series of failures faced by the world's most powerful rocket, leading some observers to question its ability to transport astronauts to the Moon or fulfill Musk's dreams of colonizing Mars.
Elon Musk relies on "Starship" to execute his ambitious project, and a modified version of it will be used in NASA's "Artemis" program. However, the rocket's development path has seen multiple technical setbacks, with prototypes exploding in previous tests earlier this year, and the most advanced flight in May had reached space but exploded later due to a fuel leak.
The company's strategy relies on launching multiple prototypes to correct issues that arise during flights. However, these successive setbacks "raise questions about the actual progress in developing Starship," especially with Musk's hopes of launching his first missions to Mars as early as 2026.
Regarding the challenges facing the mission, Dallas Kasaboski from the consulting firm "Analysis Mason" said: "This mission faces significant pressure because despite numerous tests, the rocket has not proven its reliability," explaining that "successes have not outweighed the failures."
On the other hand, the development of "Starship" may accelerate after SpaceX received approval from the Civil Aviation Authority to increase the launch rate, amid political support during which President Donald Trump, with whom Musk was a close advisor, urged his administration to "remove administrative barriers to commercial space activities."
