Flight 12 was aborted in the final minutes at Starbase after a hydraulic pin holding the launch tower arm failed to retract, Elon Musk said.
A new attempt was set for 5:30 CT the next day if crews could fix the tower issue overnight, making the scrub a ground-systems problem rather than a completed liftoff countdown.
The mission was to test SpaceX's new Starship V3, described as the company's most powerful rocket yet, with larger fins, a three-fin design and upgraded V3 Raptor engines.
The V3 vehicle is central to SpaceX's longer-term plan to fly cargo and astronauts to the Moon, Mars and beyond; Nicki Minaj's surprise visit to Starbase briefly shared attention with the scrub.
With Starship's latest scrub, is NASA's 2027 moon mission timeline becoming increasingly unrealistic?
Can SpaceX justify a record IPO while its flagship rocket is grounded by launch pad problems?
SpaceX Starship V3 Flight 12 Scrubbed: Safety-Driven Delay Highlights Iterative Approach and High Stakes for NASA and Investors
Overview
On May 21, 2026, SpaceX called off the highly anticipated Flight 12 mission, which was set to debut the upgraded Starship V3, due to a ground system issue. The rocket itself was fully loaded and ready, but the problem was found in the ground support infrastructure. SpaceX made the decision to scrub the launch with safety as the top priority, choosing not to risk the mission or equipment. The team will now analyze the issue to make necessary fixes, showing their commitment to safety over schedule and their methodical approach to problem-solving.