SpaceX’s highly anticipated 10th test flight of its Starship rocket was called off just 15 minutes before liftoff on Sunday evening, August 24. The launch, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from the company’s Starbase facility in Texas, was halted due to a last-minute issue with ground systems.
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According to SpaceX, fueling operations were halted around 7:10 p.m. ET, and the company quickly announced the launch would not proceed. Engineers are now investigating the issue, and a new launch date has yet to be confirmed.
This test was expected to last just over an hour and include several key experiments, such as deployment of eight mock Starlink satellites. Also, the mission would have included a soft water landing for the Super Heavy booster in the Gulf of Mexico, and the upper stage was to perform a controlled reentry over the Indian Ocean.
Another Setback for Elon Musk
The delay marks another bump in the road for Elon Musk’s ambitious plan to build a fully reusable launch system capable of carrying humans to the Moon and Mars.
Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, has faced a string of setbacks this year, including explosions, loss of control, and debris fallout from previous test flights.
Despite the setbacks, SpaceX is moving ahead with Starship. The company is ramping up production, building new launch sites in Florida, and positioning the rocket to replace the Falcon rockets.
What Is the Prediction for Tesla Stock?
When it comes to Elon Musk’s companies, most of them are privately held. However, retail investors can invest in his most popular company, Tesla (TSLA).
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on TSLA stock based on 13 Buys, 15 Holds, and eight Sells assigned in the past three months. Furthermore, the average TSLA price target of $305.37 per share implies 10.19% downside risk.
