SpaceX Aborts Starship Flight 13 After Engine Ignition Failure

SpaceX aborted the 13th test flight of its Starship V3 rocket on July 16, 2026, at the Starbase facility in Texas. The launch was automatically cancelled during the final seconds before liftoff when four of the Super Heavy booster's 33 Raptor engines failed to ignite. The automated safety system shut down the remaining engines to prevent a catastrophic failure and initiated the offloading of propellant.

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, announced that the company will replace two Raptor engines to restore flight confidence. The Federal Aviation Administration has approved these corrective actions, and Musk targeted a new launch attempt as early as Monday, July 20. This mission aims to deploy 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites and test critical capabilities, including an in-space engine restart and precision offshore booster landing.

The abort had a significant impact on the company's market value following its June initial public offering. SpaceX shares fell below their $135 IPO price for the first time, closing at $131.11 on Thursday and dropping further to $124.30, erasing roughly $100 billion in market value. The success of the Starship program remains critical for the company's valuation and its multi-billion-dollar contract with NASA to provide a lunar lander for the Artemis program, including the Artemis 4 mission in 2028.