T-Zero SpaceX scrubs Starship launch after some of its engines didn’t start “Now offloading propellant. Next launch attempt hopefully in a few days.” Stephen Clark – Jul 16, 2026 8:02 pm | 37 Some of the Super Heavy booster's 33 engines did not ignite as the countdown reached zero Thursday. Credit: SpaceX Some of the Super Heavy booster's 33 engines did not ignite as the countdown reached zero Thursday. Credit: SpaceX Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only    Learn more Minimize to nav SpaceX called off a test flight of its powerful Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster as the countdown clock reached zero Thursday at the company’s spaceport in South Texas. The launch team at Starbase, Texas, just north of the US-Mexico border, aimed to launch the more than 400-foot-tall rocket at 5:45 pm local time (6:45 pm EDT; 22:45 UTC). The countdown proceeded smoothly throughout the day, culminating in the loading of more than 11.5 million pounds of liquid methane and liquid oxygen into the two-stage rocket.

But the computers controlling the countdown called an abort during the Super Heavy booster’s engine startup sequence. SpaceX scrubbed the launch attempt, and engineers began preparations to drain the rocket’s propellant tanks. Officials did not immediately announce when they plan to try to launch again. Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO, posted on his social media platform X that the company might not be able to launch during the next available opportunity on Friday evening.

Source: https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/07/spacex-scrubs-starship-launch-after-some-of-its-engines-didnt-start/