SpaceX has called off its latest test flight of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle after experiencing issues with both the rocket’s booster and upper stage during the countdown. The company was scheduled to launch the Flight 8 mission from its Starbase test site in Texas at 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time.
Initially, SpaceX detected an issue with the Super Heavy booster that might have caused a hold at the T-40 second mark. However, after resolving this issue, they encountered another problem with the Starship upper stage. The countdown resumed briefly before stopping again and recycling back to the T-40 second mark.
SpaceX has rescheduled the launch for March 4, pending further inspection of both stages. CEO Elon Musk stated that “too many question marks” about the flight made it best to destack, inspect both stages, and try again in a day or two.
This is the first Starship/Super Heavy mission since Flight 7’s failed attempt on January 16, when contact with the vehicle was lost after liftoff. SpaceX had previously addressed the issue by modifying hardware and adding vents and a gaseous nitrogen purge system to reduce fire risks in the future.
The company also announced plans to expand its Starship production and launch operations in Florida, aiming to significantly increase the build and flight rates for the vehicle through rapid reusability. Construction of a new facility called Gigabay at the Kennedy Space Center is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with another one being built at Starbase.
Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-scrubs-starship-launch