SpaceX Plans New Starship Launch Attempt After Technical Delay

SpaceX plans to try again on Friday to launch its massive Starship rocket after technical problems forced the company to call off Thursday’s attempt. The test is due to begin in a 90-minute window starting at 17.30 local time, with SpaceX saying weather conditions are 85 percent favorable. The launch will mark the first flight of Starship V3, the company’s third-generation model. Fully equipped, the new version reaches 124 meters in height and is larger than earlier variants. Thursday’s attempt was canceled after the hydraulic pin holding the tower arm in place failed to retract. The launch was halted when the technical issue that emerged during the countdown could not be resolved in time. Starship’s development is being closely watched because it is a critical part of NASA’s program to return to the Moon. The test also carries added significance ahead of SpaceX’s expected initial public offering next month.