SpaceX was set to launch its Starship SN8 prototype on Tuesday afternoon, until it was scrubbed at the last second.
“Raptor abort,” was the call from SpaceX mission control, pausing the liftoff 1.3 seconds before it was set to take place, disappointing fans of the launch.
SN8, or Serial Number 8, was set to launch up to 12.5 km (7.7 miles), in what was set to be the biggest test of Starship to date, which would have seen three Raptor engines used instead of one in previous shorter flight tests.
Raptor auto-abort at T-1 second
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 8, 2020
“This suborbital flight is designed to test a number of objectives, from how the vehicle’s three Raptor engines perform, and the overall aerodynamic entry capabilities of the vehicle, including its body flaps, to how the vehicle manages propellant transition. SN8 will also attempt to perform a landing flip maneuver, which would be a first for a vehicle of this size,” explained SpaceX earlier this week.
SpaceX said it would stand down “for the day,” resetting its test flight to other launch opportunities, mainly on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
