First major test after IPO! SpaceX plans to launch Starship again early tomorrow morning; previously postponed due to engine failure.

```

SpaceX will attempt to launch Starship again on Thursday local time, marking the company’s first relaunch since last week’s last-minute scrub due to engine failure and its first major technical test since going public. As the core platform supporting future Starlink expansion, NASA’s moon landing program, and Mars strategy, every Starship flight test is directly related to whether SpaceX’s long-term growth logic can be fulfilled.

This launch is not only the second flight of the third-generation Starship (V3), but also an important moment for the capital market to test SpaceX’s R&D model for the first time post-IPO. After last week’s attempted launch was aborted, the company’s stock price fell for two consecutive days, with the market value dropping sharply from its post-IPO high, indicating that investors are beginning to reassess Starship’s R&D cycle and commercialization progress.

According to the plan, this mission will continue to verify the key capabilities of the third-generation Starship, including in-orbit engine relight, Starlink satellite deployment, and flight control, among other tests. If completed successfully, it will help restore market confidence and lay the foundation for subsequent orbital flights, on-orbit refueling, and crewed missions.

Launch Delayed Due to Engine Failure, First Major Technical Test After Going Public

This launch is scheduled for 5:45 pm Thursday local time (early morning July 24, Beijing time) at the Starbase launch site in southern Texas, carrying out the second flight test of the third-generation Starship (V3).

The first launch attempt, originally scheduled for last Thursday, was canceled at the last moment before ignition. At the time, thick smoke suddenly rose around the launch tower, but the rocket remained on the launch pad. Musk later stated on X that two Raptor engines failed to ignite, triggering the automatic abort sequence; the company will replace the engines and reschedule the launch.

Although such aborted launches are not uncommon in spaceflight testing, because it occurred after SpaceX’s $86 billion IPO, the market response was visibly more sensitive. After the news broke, the company’s stock price fell about 3% after hours, continued to drop in the next trading day, and pulled back from its post-IPO high, wiping out over $100 billion in market value.

Ivan Feinseth, CIO of Tigress Financial Partners, said, The launch delay again reminds investors that there are still considerable execution risks before Starship achieves high-frequency, fully reusable operations, and if testing continues to be delayed, future revenue and profit margin improvements could also be affected.

However, some industry insiders believe the market reaction is excessive. Caleb Henry, research director at consultancy Quilty Space, said SpaceX has long adhered to a “rapid test, rapid failure, rapid iteration” model, noting that Falcon 9 also experienced many failures early on but eventually grew into one of the most frequently launched and reliable commercial rockets in the world.

Starship Determines SpaceX’s Future Valuation Ceiling

Compared to the matured Falcon 9 commercial launch business, Starship is the core of SpaceX’s future growth story.

Musk hopes to use Starship for next-generation Starlink satellite launches and to further expand into space data centers, deep space transportation, and crewed moon and Mars exploration. As these plans progress, Starship is seen as the key platform determining SpaceX’s long-term business value and profitability.

Currently, SpaceX has invested more than $15 billion in Starship’s development and holds about $4 billion in NASA contracts, planning to execute the Artemis moon landing as early as 2028.

However, to reach this goal, the company still needs to overcome a series of key technologies, including in-orbit propellant refueling, completing more than a dozen supply launches in quick succession, and achieving certification for crewed flight. So far, Starship has not completed a single full orbital flight.

More importantly, Starship is designed to be the world’s first fully reusable super-heavy launch vehicle system—whether the booster or the ship itself, both need to safely return after each launch and be reused. If this goal is achieved, it will significantly reduce launch costs and become SpaceX’s core competitive strength in commercial spaceflight, the Starlink network, and deep space exploration.

Risk Warning and DisclaimerThe market involves risk; investments should be made cautiously. This article does not constitute personal investment advice, nor does it consider the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their individual circumstances. Any investment made accordingly is at one’s own risk. ```