SpaceX called off its 10th Starship launch just moments before liftoff on Sunday, citing technical concerns.
“Standing down from today’s tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems,” the company announced on X.
Standing down from today’s tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 24, 2025
The launch was scheduled to take place from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas. Starship, designed to be a fully reusable spacecraft capable of carrying up to 100 people to deep space destinations, is a key component of SpaceX’s future plans for Mars missions and beyond.
Why the Launch Was Canceled
While the company did not disclose specific details about the ground systems issue, SpaceX confirmed that engineers are investigating the problem. The timing of the next attempt remains uncertain.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), possible launch windows are available on Monday and Tuesday evenings, beginning around 7:10 PM ET.
However, due to fueling procedures, SpaceX typically waits up to 48 hours before attempting another launch after a scrubbed countdown.
Previous Setbacks
This delay adds to a string of challenges for the Starship program. In June, a Starship exploded on the launch pad during a pre-flight engine test. Earlier, the ninth test flight ended in a “rapid unscheduled disassembly,” a term SpaceX uses for catastrophic failure.
The company also lost a first-stage booster during a previous test when it exploded upon splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, which SpaceX attributed to “higher than predicted forces on the booster structure.”
What’s Next for Starship?
The Starship program is crucial for SpaceX’s ambitions of interplanetary travel, including missions to the Moon and Mars. Despite setbacks, the company continues to iterate on its design and test flights.
For now, SpaceX fans and industry watchers await an update on when the next launch attempt will take place.
