Attempt in Texas concludes with automatic stop
The prototype of the oversized space vehicle built by SpaceX was positioned for a demonstration flight on Thursday. An automated safety sequence interrupted the procedure when the control system detected that certain propulsion units did not start as required.
Witnesses at the site described thick plumes of smoke and invisible propellant vapor spreading across the launch complex within seconds. The countdown was still in its concluding stage, leaving roughly one second between the scheduled liftoff and the termination of the attempt.
- Starship heavy rocket was set for a test flight
- Several engines did not ignite as needed
- Automatic abort produced clouds of smoke and vapor
The event highlights the engineering challenge of developing a multi-thousand-ton launch system with numerous independent engines. SpaceX has not yet released a detailed explanation of the fault but is expected to retry the flight once the irregularity is corrected.