SpaceX came tantalizingly close to launching its massive Starship rocket Thursday evening, with the countdown halting just 30 seconds before liftoff due to a series of technical malfunctions.
The towering 407-foot (124-meter) spacecraft was ready to embark on a test mission from Texas that would take it on a path spanning half the globe. However, complications arose with the newly constructed launch pad at Starbase near the Mexican border, forcing engineers to call off the attempt when time ran out.
Company CEO Elon Musk later explained that a hydraulic pin responsible for keeping the launch tower’s arm secured failed to withdraw properly. He indicated that if engineers can resolve the issue promptly, the company will try again Friday.
The failed launch attempt occurred just one day following Musk’s announcement that his aerospace company plans to go public.
The spacecraft carries 20 simulated Starlink satellites that were scheduled for deployment before the vehicle’s planned controlled descent into the Indian Ocean, concluding what was intended to be an hour-long mission. This marks the 12th test flight planned for a Starship and the first attempt since last fall.
NASA has designated this newest iteration of Starship as the vehicle that will transport astronauts to the lunar surface in the coming years.
