(TEXAS) SpaceX scrubbed the planned launch of Starship Flight 10 on Sunday and is now targeting Monday, August 25, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 UTC) from Starbase near Boca Chica Beach, Texas. The try was called off about 17 minutes before Sunday’s window due to a ground-side liquid oxygen leak, a problem tied to the company’s complex ground support hardware rather than the rocket. Elon Musk confirmed the leak and the new plan on X, saying teams would work the issue and try again when the evening window opens. Backup opportunities are lined up for August 26 and later in the week if needed.
Launch status and timeline
As of Monday afternoon, the countdown remained on hold while engineers resolved the ground systems issue. SpaceX’s “Stage 0” infrastructure—tanks, plumbing, valves, and software that fill the vehicle with super-cold propellants—can trigger a scrub if any subsystem misbehaves. That’s what happened on Sunday.
Company operations at Starbase are known for quick turnarounds. Local officials have road and beach closures in place to support another attempt. If Flight 10 gets off the pad Monday night, it will run through a rapid sequence of ascent, separation, and splashdown tests designed to prove control and reliability.
The vehicle on the pad is Starship with a Super Heavy Block 2 booster and a Starship upper stage. This mission is a suborbital test—the 10th integrated flight of Starship—aimed at demonstrating controlled water landings for both stages and several in-space tasks.
Key mission elements:
– The booster will attempt a hard splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico about 6.5 minutes after liftoff.
– The upper stage will attempt a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean, off Western Australia, about one hour after launch.
– SpaceX also plans an engine relight test in space and the deployment of eight dummy Starlink satellites.
Why this test matters
Starship is the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built, and it is central to SpaceX’s long-term plan to carry cargo and crew to the Moon and Mars. NASA selected a version of Starship to serve as the lunar lander for Artemis 3, the mission aiming to return astronauts to the Moon, with a crewed landing tentatively set for 2027.
After a difficult run earlier this year—Flights 7, 8, and 9 in 2025 all ended in explosions or breakup during reentry—Flight 10 is seen as a key chance to regain momentum and keep NASA’s schedule in play.
The scrub underscores how much rides on the ground side of launches. While rockets get the headlines, the support equipment that loads liquid methane and liquid oxygen must perform perfectly.
SpaceX’s approach emphasizes fast iteration: fly, learn, fix, and fly again. Industry watchers note this rhythm helps hardware improve faster, but calendar pressure is real because Artemis depends on demonstrated Starship capability. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, repeated delays in large space programs can ripple into planning for future milestones, even when the issue is isolated to the ground and not the vehicle.
NASA is watching closely because Starship must reliably execute complex steps before it can host astronauts:
– ascent,
– orbital operations,
– propellant transfer in space,
– precision landings.
Continued setbacks could push Artemis 3’s lunar landing later than 2027. Readers can review broader program goals on the official Artemis page at https://www.nasa.gov/artemis.
Beyond NASA, Starship’s success matters for:
– commercial heavy satellite launches,
– private space station projects forecast for 2027–2028,
– broader commercial spaceflight ambitions.
What to expect next
For residents along the Gulf Coast and fans traveling to South Texas, SpaceX’s quick turn means they may see another attempt with minimal delay. For engineers, Monday’s run will test whether fixes to the ground oxygen leak hold through tanking and terminal count.
Elon Musk emphasized the rocket hardware itself was not at fault for the scrub, placing emphasis on the ground team’s troubleshooting. If the countdown proceeds, the flight plan calls for a tight, choreographed sequence:
- Propellant loading of the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage with liquid methane and liquid oxygen
- Final checks of ground support equipment and vehicle systems
- Liftoff at the opening of the one-hour window
- Boostback and controlled splashdown of Super Heavy in the Gulf of Mexico
- Engine relight test in space and deployment of eight dummy Starlink units
- Controlled splashdown of Starship in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia
The goals are clear: show control, survive key phases, and bring back clean data. After three failures this year, a controlled splashdown for both stages would mark progress, even though full reusability remains a future target. Each test, successful or not, informs design and operations updates.
SpaceX has said it will continue with more Block 2 test flights after Flight 10, aiming to refine reusability and in-space operations needed for the lunar plan.
Stakeholders and implications
Different groups are aligned but motivated by distinct outcomes:
– NASA: wants a dependable lunar lander to support the United States’ return to the Moon.
– SpaceX: wants a workhorse to lower costs for deep-space missions and heavy payloads.
– Commercial partners: want a clear path to market for large satellites and future stations.
– Local communities: want safe operations and predictable schedules.
Safety and reliability remain top priorities after repeated scrubs and failures this year. Building a fully reusable heavy-lift system is difficult, and each fix must be demonstrated in real time.
Musk’s confirmation on X set expectations for a Monday push, but with experimental hardware and complex ground systems, teams will keep options open. If Monday slips, the backup date on August 26 provides another chance. The company’s 24/7 operations at Starbase mean repairs and checks can proceed quickly between attempts. Live coverage is expected across major streaming channels once SpaceX enters the terminal count.
Key point of focus
All eyes are on the ground equipment that manages liquid oxygen, the same system that triggered Sunday’s stand-down. If the leak fix holds through chill-down and loading, Flight 10 could be cleared to fly, enabling:
– the booster’s Gulf splashdown, and
– Starship’s longer trip to the Indian Ocean.
A clean sequence would provide SpaceX and NASA the data needed to plan the next steps toward orbital refueling, a core requirement for future lunar sorties under Artemis.
Final takeaway: fix the ground issue, verify the procedure, and keep the flight cadence moving. Flight 10 will not answer every question, but it can show whether changes made after Flights 7, 8, and 9 are paying off. If so, the path to more Block 2 flights, additional relights, and more controlled landings stays open—and the Artemis clock keeps ticking.
This Article in a Nutshell
A ground-side liquid oxygen leak scrubbed Starship Flight 10; SpaceX now targets August 25, 2025, for a suborbital Block 2 test with booster and Starship splashdowns, relight and dummy Starlink deployments. Success would aid Artemis 3 plans and Block 2 progress.
