SpaceX was to send up its Starship rocket and Super Heavy launcher from its Texas base on Sunday night, the 10th flight test of the system. The company scrapped the attempt due to "an issue with ground systems," a euphemism for the launchpad and support structures. Engineers are working the problem, and the timeline for another attempt is uncertain, CNN reported.
A series of delays
This cancellation is the newest setback in a difficult year for Starship. There have been four prototypes destroyed by explosive failures since January, with one spinning out of control last month and another exploding in a ground test last June. The company has not had a clean flight test since November 2024 despite ongoing redesigns and technical improvements, which shows just how hard it is to construct the most powerful rocket ever built.
What makes Starship important
At a height of nearly 400 feet, Starship is the largest rocket ever constructed, with the capability of making 16.7 million pounds of thrust on launch — double the amount of NASA's Saturn V. Elon Musk has promoted it as the ship that can take people to Mars, with NASA seeing it as required for its Artemis mission to return astronauts to the moon. All test flights have the purpose of delivering critical information about its performance.
FAA support and political sponsorship
Despite its questionable flight record, SpaceX is still a government favourite. The Federal Aviation Administration recently expanded SpaceX's launch authorization from five to 25 flights annually without requiring them to undergo new environmental studies. President Donald Trump also signed an executive order reducing red tape for commercial space launches, highlighting the administration's push to keep U.S. companies ahead of adversaries like China in the coming space race.
A busy year for SpaceX
While Starship development has been bumpy, the remainder of SpaceX's endeavours are racing along. Its Falcon 9 rockets have already put more than 100 vehicles into space this year alone, ranging from astronaut missions to the International Space Station to military payloads, and more than 70 Starlink launches of satellites. Executives say the company may make nearly 180 launches in 2025, a record pace that cements SpaceX's dominance of the global launch market.
What's next for Starship
The 10th Starship flight was expected to be one of the last for its current design before SpaceX unveiled an even larger model. SpaceX has tweaked things since its last unsuccessful test, with parts of the fuel tank system redesigned and pressure minimized in sensitive hardware. The attempt at launching can come back within days, but in case fuelling had been underway before Sunday's postponement, SpaceX would need 48 hours' wait.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
