Tonight was scheduled for the maiden test flight of the Starship V3 super heavy-lift launch vehicle, with the launch window opening at 01:30 Moscow time. However, after several half-hour postponements and timer interruptions, the launch was aborted approximately 40 seconds before liftoff. The reason wasn’t related to the rocket itself or the weather conditions – it was all down to the launch tower.
“A hydraulic pin that secures the tower’s swingarm failed to retract. If we can fix this tonight, another launch attempt will be made tomorrow at 5:30 AM Central Time [01:30 Moscow time on May 23rd],” Elon Musk posted on X.
This flight will mark the 12th for the Starship system and the debut for Starship S39, representing the first of the third generation for both the rocket and the super heavy booster. During the pre-launch broadcast, SpaceX highlighted the features of the third-generation system and its differences from its predecessor. These include new grid fins, new Raptor 3 engines, an updated hot-staging system, a new propellant line in the Super Heavy booster, and more.
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