SpaceX stopped the launch of its Starship rocket on Sunday night, minutes before liftoff. The company said the delay was caused by a problem with ground systems. The launch was supposed to take place at 6:30 pm local time from SpaceX’s Starbase in southern Texas, near Brownsville. Propellant loading had just started when the test was called off.

The company confirmed the decision on X, saying, “Standing down from today’s tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems.”

Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 24, 2025

A String of Setbacks

This scrub adds to recent challenges for Elon Musk’s giant rocket. Starship has faced multiple failures in recent months, raising questions about its readiness for future missions.

Experts note that this test is critical. Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, explained, “The stakes are the highest they’ve ever been for a Starship launch. If they have another failure, they still have more room to continue iterating and trying, but they are running out of room.”

Importance of the 10th Flight

The 10th test flight will be a major step in Musk’s long-term goal to send humans to Mars. It is also crucial for NASA, which plans to use Starship to carry astronauts to the Moon as part of its Artemis program.

Next Possible Attempt

SpaceX has not set a new date for the test. However, if engineers resolve the technical issue quickly, the company may try again on Monday evening. A one-hour launch window will open at 7:30 pm Eastern.