SpaceX is aiming for Thursday, July 23, to launch the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket, after a last-second abort on the pad stopped the previous attempt. The company confirmed the new target in a statement but did not say what caused the abort. Shares of the newly public company, trading on the Nasdaq under SPCX, remain below their $135 initial public offering price.
Abort at the last moment
The countdown for the previous launch reached the final seconds before the automatic abort system cut in. SpaceX has not disclosed whether the issue was related to the rocket's engines, ground systems, or software. The company's standard procedure is to hold the launch and review data before setting a new date. Engineers are now working through that data ahead of Thursday's window.
Stock trading below IPO price
SpaceX went public on the Nasdaq with an IPO price of $135 per share. Since then, the stock has traded below that level. The company's market debut was highly anticipated, but the share price has not matched the initial excitement. The stock's performance reflects broader market conditions and the capital-intensive nature of the rocket business.
Each Starship test flight pushes the vehicle closer to operational capability. The 13th flight will follow the same basic profile as previous ones: ascent, stage separation, and an attempted landing. SpaceX has not released a specific launch time for Thursday. The company will provide updates as the date approaches.
