TheSpaceX Starshiplaunch scheduled for Aug. 24 was cancelled due to "an issue with ground systems," the company posted on X shortly before the anticipated launch time. The scheduled launch had reached the propellant load for the rocket's super-heavy booster,according to SpaceX's X feed.The mission would have been the tenth overall Starship test flight since April 2023 from SpaceX's headquarters in South Texas, and the fourth of 2025. The commercial spaceflight company thatElon Muskfounded in 2002 has seen mixed results for one of its flagship programs aimed to fulfill the billionaire's goals for mannedmissions to Mars. Here's what you need to know: Starship wasscheduled to get off the groundat 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 24 atSpaceX's Starbase headquartersnear the U.S.-Mexico border, which Texas voters in Cameron County approved in May to become a city. During three separate Starship launches since October, SpaceX has proven it's capable of returning and "catching" the massive spacecraft's rocket booster at the so-called "mechazilla" tower at the launch pad using a pair of mechanical arms nicknamed "chopsticks." This time around,the rocket company plannedto turn its attention elsewhere: safely returning and landing the vehicle's upper stage — known as Starship, or Ship — where a crew of astronauts would one day ride to space. SpaceX also had plans to deploy eight test Starlink satellites expected to burn up in Earth's atmosphere upon reentry — an objective called off on three previous launches. SpaceX additionally planned to reignite its Raptor engines in space to attempt an orbital burn, a crucial maneuver to ground a vehicle. For the second time in a row, SpaceX had no plans to recover the booster, known as Super Heavy. Instead, the company has again sought to push Super Heavy's performance beyond what has been attempted. The booster was intended to attempt several in-flight experiments before making a water landing off the Gulf of Mexico, renamed by the U.S. government as the Gulf of America. The flight test was previously delayed on June 18 when the Starship vehicle SpaceX assigned to the next flight, designated Ship 36, unexpectedly exploded while SpaceX was preparing it for launch. No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred as the Starship spacecraft was standing alone on the test stand being filled with cryogenic propellants for an engine test-firing before being mounted on top of the rocket booster. The mishap, which SpaceXlater referred to on its websiteas "a sudden energetic event," destroyed the spacecraft and ignited several fires that caused damage in the area surrounding the test stand. The explosionwas the latest fiery mishap SpaceX's Starship has encounteredduring – and, now, before – its flight tests in 2025. Starship'smost recent demonstration came on May 27, when the spacecraft spun out of control roughly halfway through its flight and disintegrated in a fireball. Though Starship was unable to achieve its most important objectives, the distance the vehicle traveledfar surpassed the previous 2025 flightsin January and March, when Starship exploded within minutes. But Starship, which has yet to reach orbit in any of its flight tests since the first in April 2023, has failed to replicate the successes of previous flights in 2024. 85738901007 SpaceXhas been known for its risk-tolerant philosophywhen it comes to Starship's development. Musk has stressed that rapid and frequent testing, which sometimes leads to explosive ends, can still provide data that helps engineers improve the vehicle's design. SpaceX is developingStarshipto be a fully reusable transportation system, meaning the rocket and vehicle can return to the ground for additional missions. In the years ahead, Starship is set to serve a pivotal role in future U.S. spaceflight. Starship is the centerpiece of Musk'svision of sending the first humans to Mars, and is also critical in NASA's plans toreturn astronauts to the moon's surface. Musk aims to send the first uncrewed Starship to Mars in 2026. NASA, meanwhile, has designs on using Starship toferry Artemis III astronauts from orbit to the lunar surfaceas early as 2027. 83879554007 The Starship,standing 403 feet tall when fully stacked, is regarded as the world's largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever developed. When fully integrated, the launch system is composed of both a 232-foot Super Heavy rocket and the 171-foot upper stage Starship itself, the spacecraft where crew and cargo would ride. Super Heavy alone is powered by 33 of SpaceX's Raptor engines that give the initial burst of thrust at liftoff. The upper stage Starship section is powered by six Raptor engines that will ultimately travel in orbit. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:SpaceX scrubs Starship launch after 'ground systems' issue
