On Thursday, July 16th, 2026, SpaceX's Starship rocket came within seconds of launching on its 13th test flight before aborting due to some engines failing to start. Standing 407 feet (124 meters) tall and equipped with 33 main engines, Starship is the world's biggest and most powerful rocket.

The mission was to release twenty of SpaceX's newest Starlink internet satellites during an hourlong flight that would have included communication tests with satellites already in orbit and photography of Starship's heat shield. Neither the first-stage booster nor the spacecraft were intended to be recovered, as both were planned to end their journey in the sea.

Elon Musk's company stated it must determine the cause of the engine issues before attempting another space-skimming flight halfway around the world. NASA is relying on Starship for future lunar astronaut landings.

Sources