SpaceX postpones Starship V3 launch after technical issue with launch tower hydraulic pin

A planned rocket launch featuring a celebrity guest ended in a last-minute postponement Thursday evening at SpaceX's Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The company's uncrewed Starship V3 rocket, its newest and largest vehicle, remained on the pad after a technical issue halted the countdown approximately 40 seconds before liftoff.

The rapper Nicki Minaj was a featured guest at the event, which was broadcast live. She was seen wearing a Starship-branded T-shirt and described the occasion as historic during an on-camera appearance. Minaj also publicly thanked SpaceX founder Elon Musk for his work, stating he was doing everything for humanity.

The launch attempt was scrubbed due to an unresolved technical problem. Musk stated on his social media platform that a malfunctioning hydraulic pin on the launch tower caused the abort. SpaceX announced it would attempt another launch the following evening if the issue could be repaired.

The incident marked the latest delay in the Starship program's test flight campaign, which has seen multiple previous launches end in vehicle loss or mission failure. The V3 rocket is a key part of SpaceX's ambitions for heavy-lift missions, including...