SpaceX's Double Rocket Launches ABORTED in a Week, Why? Booster 20 Static Fire Again TMR…

Two launch aborts. One week. First, Starship. Then, Falcon 9. Seeing both rockets stop at T-minus zero within just a few days naturally raises one big question. What's going on inside SpaceX? At the same time, the company appears to be preparing another major test before Flight 13. Meanwhile, Flight 14's Booster 21 may have just cleared an important milestone. And in another major development, NASA has selected SpaceX's Starlink to support Artemis 3 communications. Let's dive into all that on today's episode of Great SpaceX. If there's one thing we've learned about SpaceX, it's that no week is ever boring. Every few days brings another test, another milestone, or another surprise. So if you enjoy following Starship and the future of spaceflight, make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss any of the latest developments. Now, let's get started. The biggest headline this week is something nobody expected. Two launch aborts. Less than one week apart. You're probably still thinking about Starship Flight 13. On July 16th, the countdown reached T-minus zero. The engines ignited, the water dilution system activated, everything looked ready. Then, nothing. The onboard computers detected a problem almost instantly and automatically shut the vehicle down before liftoff. Instead of launching, both stages were eventually rolled back to the production site for inspections, engine replacements, and further analysis. At first, it seemed like a problem unique to Starship. After all, Starship is still an experimental vehicle, so unexpected issues are simply part of its development. But then, another surprise arrived. On the morning of July 20th, SpaceX prepared to launch a Falcon 9 carrying another batch of Starlink satellites from California. The countdown progressed normally. Fuel loading completed, everything appeared healthy. Then, history repeated itself. At T-minus zero, just as the engines ignited, the launch was aborted. This time, it wasn't Starship. It was Falcon 9. Shortly afterward, SpaceX posted a brief update. Standing down from today's Starlink launch, vehicle and payload remained safe. The company didn't immediately explain what caused the abort. Fortunately, Falcon 9 isn't expected to remain grounded for long. SpaceX quickly targeted the following day for another launch attempt, demonstrating the confidence the company still has in its workhorse rocket. Even so, the timing of these two events naturally caught everyone's attention. Starship and Falcon 9 are completely different vehicles. They're built for different missions. They're powered by different engines. They're at entirely different stages of development. Falcon 9 is one of the most reliable launch vehicles ever built, while Starship is still proving itself through flight testing. Yet, both experienced launch aborts after engine ignition within only a few days. It's understandable why people immediately started asking whether these events might somehow be connected. Could there be a broader issue affecting SpaceX? Is there a problem with engine manufacturing? Fuel systems? Ground equipment? Software? Or is this simply an incredible coincidence? Right now, there isn't enough evidence to conclude that the two incidents are related. In fact, coincidence remains the most likely explanation. Launch aborts happen for many different reasons because modern rockets constantly monitor thousands of sensors during countdown. If anything falls outside safe limits, the computer doesn't hesitate. They stop the launch. That's exactly what they're designed to do. While frustrating for everyone watching, an abort before liftoff is almost always preferable to discovering the same problem after leaving the ground. Still, these events serve as another reminder that even the world's busiest launch provider continues refining its systems. SpaceX never assumes today's success guarantees tomorrow's. Every launch produces new data. Every anomaly becomes another opportunity to improve. And that's especially important for Starship. Current observations suggest SpaceX replaced more than just the two engines Elon Musk initially mentioned. Considering that four engines failed to ignite during Flight 13's launch attempt, performing broader inspections makes perfect sense. Even engines that appeared healthy likely received additional checks to eliminate every possible source of uncertainty before another launch attempt. If you're supporting the engineers working through these challenges, comment, keep improving. Because whether these two aborts were connected or completely unrelated, continuous improvement has always been one of SpaceX's biggest strengths. Now let's shift our attention back to Flight 13. With the current launch target set for July 23rd, the hardware will soon have to return to Starbase. But before that happens, another important step may still be waiting. A newly announced road closure lasting from 9am until 11pm on July 22nd strongly suggests SpaceX is preparing for major activity at the launch site. The obvious question is, what kind of test will it be? One possibility is another static fire. That would allow engineers to verify the newly installed engines under real operating conditions before committing to launch. Given the recent engine issues, repeating a full-duration static fire would certainly be understandable. If this happens, B-20 would likely arrive at the pad first. The engines would be loaded with propellant before all 33 Raptors ignite for another high-power test. Engineers would carefully analyze thrust levels, temperatures, pressures, vibrations, and ignition performance. If everything looks good, the booster would remain at the pad while teams prepare for launch. Of course, conducting another static fire creates another logistical challenge. S-40 couldn't remain stacked above the booster during such an intense test because static fires generate enormous heat, vibration, and acoustic energy. That's why cranes, transport stands, and nearby equipment always leave the area beforehand. S-40 would likely roll out only after B-20 successfully completes its test. The other possibility is a wet-dress rehearsal. In that scenario, both stages would return to the launch site, be fully stacked, and complete nearly the entire launch countdown. The only thing missing would be engine ignition. A wet-dress rehearsal verifies fueling operations, countdown procedures, software, and communications without placing additional stress on the engines themselves. Either approach would provide valuable confidence before Flight 13. The downside is obvious. Additional testing always carries the possibility of further delays. Do you think SpaceX will perform another static fire, or will they proceed with a wet-dress rehearsal instead? Let me know what you think. While Flight 13 continues attracting headlines, another Starship vehicle has quietly been making excellent progress. B-21, which will fly on Flight 14, appears to have reached another major milestone. In the previous episode, we talked about the time this booster was delivered to Massey's, specifically on July 17th, along with a structural test attempt and two small cryogenic test attempts over the following two days. If you didn't know about this or have forgotten, you can go back and watch our previous episode's video after watching this one. The link is in the description. Those tests likely focused on verifying individual systems rather than fully stressing the vehicle. Then came the third attempt. This time, both propellant tanks were filled almost completely. The result was the familiar sight every Starship fan loves to see. The entire booster turned white with frost. This so-called full frosty test closely replicates launch day conditions because extremely cold methane and liquid oxygen place enormous thermal stress on tanks, plumbing, and vehicle structure. Passing this test demonstrates that the booster can safely handle a fully fueled countdown. Everything appeared to proceed smoothly. The booster successfully completed detanking afterwards, suggesting the test met its objectives. If that's the case, B-21 can soon return to the production site for inspections and final preparations before engine installation and static fire testing. Once B-21 leaves Massey's, attention will likely shift toward S-41. Engine installation has probably been underway for several weeks. With B-21 nearly finished at the test site, SpaceX finally has room to begin S-41's next major campaign. That could include static fire testing before the end of the month. Taken together, Flight 14 hardware continues moving steadily toward what could become an August launch. If that schedule holds, SpaceX may finally begin establishing the monthly Starship flight cadence Gwynne Shotwell recently discussed. That would represent one of the program's biggest milestones yet. Finally today, let's talk about another exciting announcement involving Artemis 3. Returning astronauts to the moon isn't just about building rockets, it's also about communications. NASA wants viewers around the world to experience Artemis 3 as clearly as possible. That means high-resolution video, high-speed data transmission, reliable communications, and that's exactly where SpaceX is stepping in. NASA recently announced that Artemis 3 will use SpaceX's Starlink mini-laser communication system. As NASA explained on X, think streaming, but in space. For Artemis 3, two Starlink mini-laser terminals will be mounted to the exterior of Orion. These terminals use the same optical cross-link technology already operating throughout the Starlink constellation. Instead of relying solely on traditional radio communications, Orion will also transmit data using infrared laser links. Optical communications can send dramatically more information than conventional radio systems. That means sharper images, higher quality video, faster transfers, and a much better view of one of humanity's most important lunar missions. NASA confirmed the goal is to deliver 4K imagery and video directly from Orion to Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston. This won't be the agency's first experience with laser communications. During Artemis 2 preparations, NASA already demonstrated optical communication technology capable of transmitting high-definition video, scientific information, engineering data, photographs, and voice communications. Artemis 3 takes that capability another step forward by integrating proven Starlink hardware into the mission. It's another reminder that Starlink has become much more than an internet constellation. Today, it's the largest satellite network ever deployed in low-Earth orbit. Its capabilities have already supported missions like Polaris Dawn and Fram 2, while Starship itself increasingly relies on Starlink for communications during testing. Now, the same technology will help support NASA's return to deep space. For Artemis 3, that's a significant vote of confidence in SpaceX's growing role across nearly every aspect of human spaceflight. Between launch vehicles, lunar landers, communications, and eventually orbital refueling, SpaceX is becoming deeply woven into NASA's plans for returning astronauts to the moon. The next few weeks should be incredibly busy. Flight 13 is preparing for another launch attempt. Flight 14 hardware continues advancing through testing. Falcon 9 is expected to return to flight almost immediately. And Artemis 3 keeps moving closer with another important technology now officially in place. There is certainly no shortage of developments to watch. And that brings us to the end of today's episode. Thank you so much for tuning in. As always, this has been Kevin from GreatSpaceX. And until next time, keep looking up!