SpaceX scrubs Starship test before planned IPO

SpaceX aborted the 12th test flight of its Starship V3 rocket on Thursday at its Texas launch site, stopping the countdown just seconds before liftoff. The decision followed multiple holds in the final stages of the countdown.

Company officials cited pressure and fuel temperature anomalies as reasons for pausing and ultimately scrubbing the attempt. Elon Musk added that a hydraulic pin holding the tower arm failed to retract, preventing the launch from proceeding safely.

Following the scrub, SpaceX said engineering teams would work to resolve the issues on the launch pad and tower systems. The company framed the delay as part of the testing process for the fully reusable Starship system.

Musk indicated that if the hydraulic pin issue on the tower arm could be fixed, SpaceX would pursue another launch opportunity on Friday. He referenced a target attempt time of 5:30 CT, with an additional launch slot at 22:30 GMT the same day.

SpaceX confirmed that Friday’s window would follow troubleshooting of the pressure, fuel temperature, and hydraulic anomalies observed on Thursday. The new attempt would again take place from the company’s Texas site.

The 12th test is part of an ongoing Starship development campaign, aimed at validating the performance and reusability of the V3 configuration under real flight conditions.

In its IPO filing, SpaceX describes Starship V3 as "the most powerful launch system ever developed." The vehicle is expected to carry about 100 metric tons of payload, according to the company’s disclosures.

SpaceX also notes that future generations of Starship are planned to double that payload capacity, underscoring the system’s role in the company’s long term launch strategy. The Starship architecture is designed to be fully reusable.

The company reports that it has invested more than $15 billion in developing the Starship system. This spending covers hardware, infrastructure, and repeated test campaigns such as the scrubbed 12th flight.

The postponed test comes as SpaceX advances plans for a public listing. The company is pursuing an initial public offering targeting a valuation of $1.75 trillion (€1.51 trillion).

SpaceX submitted a confidential filing on 1 April and later published a public S-1 in mid-May. The documents lay out the company’s view of Starship’s technical and commercial importance.

According to the verified filings, SpaceX is due to go public on 12 June under the ticker symbol SPCX. An investor roadshow is planned for early June as part of the IPO marketing process.

The scrubbed Starship V3 test, occurring shortly before the planned listing, adds attention to the company’s launch program as investors assess the status and prospects of its flagship rocket system.