SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

The launch was aborted after four of the 33 main engines failed to ignite just seconds before liftoff.

35 across the spectrum. Choose a side on the bar to jump to it.

National story. 84 articles from 36 sources. 35 are on the bar; 1 is an international, entertainment or tech outlet, listed separately. Updated Jul 19, 2026.

How each side is putting it

Left

6 sources

Fast CompanyLean Left· Jul 17, 2026

Musk’s SpaceX Starship launch suddenly aborted in what would have been it’s 13th flight

InsiderLean Left· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX aborts first Starship launch since its massive IPO

Scientific AmericanLean Left· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX’s latest Starship launch attempt ends in a scrub

Ran by 15 outlets across the spectrum· Seattle Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, +1 more

Seattle TimesLean Left· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

Philadelphia InquirerLean Left· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

Bangor Daily NewsLean Left· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

Scientific AmericanLean Left· Jul 16, 2026

Watch SpaceX’s Starship flight 13 launch tonight

Center

20 sources

Ran by 15 outlets across the spectrum· Phys, WMUR, +8 more

PhysCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

WMURCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

WFAA DallasCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

MyarklamissCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

WKBN YoungstownCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

WFMZ AllentownCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment

WHEC RochesterCenter· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

WTOP Washington DCCenter· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

WCBD News 2Center· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

The RepublicCenter· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

Ran by 48 outlets· WCNC, WNEP, +46 more

WCNCCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WNEPCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

12News PhoenixCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WBIR KnoxvilleCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

FOX 43 YorkCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WFAA DallasCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KARE 11 MinneapolisCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WHAS LouisvilleCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

First Coast NewsCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

News West 9Center· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WTSP TampaCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

12News Now BeaumontCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

Local MemphisCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

11Alive AtlantaCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WeareiowaCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

CBS 19 TylerCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WQADCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WGRZ BuffaloCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

13News Now NorfolkCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KING 5 SeattleCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

9NEWS DenverCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

Wfmy News 2Center· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WTHR IndianapolisCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KVUECenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KTVB BoiseCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WLTX ColumbiaCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

Thv11Center· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KSDKCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

Rocket City NowCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KCEN WacoCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WWL New OrleansCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WZZM Grand RapidsCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KGW PortlandCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

FOX 61 HartfordCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

News Center MaineLean Left· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WTOL ToledoCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

13WMAZ MaconCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

ABC 10 SacramentoCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WUSA9Center· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

WKYC ClevelandCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KIII Corpus ChristiCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

10TV ColumbusCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KHOU HoustonCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KENS 5 San AntonioCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

Myfox ZoneCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

CBS 8 San DiegoCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KREM SpokaneCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

KAGS BryanCenter· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

Ran by 2 outlets· Digital Journal, WFMZ Allentown

Digital JournalCenter· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX abruptly scrubs Starship test flight

WFMZ AllentownCenter· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX abruptly scrubs Starship test flight

WFLACenter· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX aborts startup, scrubs Starship test launch

Next Big FutureCenter· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship 13 Scrubbed

Right

9 sources

Legal InsurrectionRight· Jul 19, 2026

SpaceX’s 13th Starship Test Aborted Less than a Second before Liftoff

Breitbart NewsRight· Jul 17, 2026

Elon Musk's SpaceX Scrubs Starship Test Flight Due to Engine Ignition Failure

New York PostLean Right· Jul 17, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted when engines fail to start just before takeoff

The Brunswick NewsLean Right· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship aims for launch from Texas

Ran by 15 outlets across the spectrum· Jonesboro Sun, Washington Times, +2 more

Jonesboro SunLean Right· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

Washington TimesLean Right· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

Green Field ReporterLean Right· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

Daily JournalLean Right· Jul 16, 2026

SpaceX Starship Launch Aborted on the Pad at the last moment

Other outlets

International, entertainment and tech outlets, by their rating. Not counted in the bar above. How we count coverage

Left

1 article

GizmodoLeft· Jul 15, 2026

How to Watch Starship Flight 13, the Second Launch Attempt of the World’s Biggest Rocket

Center

0 articles

None

Right

0 articles

None

The story so far

2 developments

Jul 15Only lean-left coverage:Watch SpaceX’s Starship flight 13 launch tonight
Jul 16SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

Who covered each development

Left

Center

Right

No new developments

Quiet for 93 days

Last development · Jul 16 — SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

The bigger story

This story is one of several related ones. Here's where it sits.

You are hereJul 14, 2026

SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment due to engine trouble

2 developments · 36 sources

SpaceX’s supersized Starship launches into orbit for the first time but flight ends early

2 developments · 71 sources · updated 16d ago