Elon Musk reports engine failures caused a last-second abort of the SpaceX Starship Flight 13 test launch

Elon Musk reported that a failure of several Raptor 3 engines to ignite triggered an automatic launch abort for the SpaceX Starship Flight 13 test flight on Thursday. The launch, which was scheduled for 6:45 p.m. EDT from the Starbase facility in South Texas, was scrubbed at the final moment of the countdown. The mission aimed to test the Version 3 configuration of the world's largest and most powerful rocket. While the countdown proceeded smoothly, four of the 33 engines on the Super Heavy booster failed to start during the ignition sequence. Following the abort, SpaceX began offloading propellant from the vehicle. Musk stated that the company will replace two Raptor engines to ensure a successful flight, with the next launch attempt likely scheduled for early next week. The stock for SpaceX declined in premarket trading following the news. A successful flight will provide critical data for future orbital missions and the NASA Artemis lunar lander program.

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