The nine Merlin engines on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket ignite briefly before shutting down during a rare, post-ignition abort on Monday, July 20, 2026. Image: SpaceX.
Update July 20, 11:18 a.m. EDT (1518 UTC): SpaceX aborts the mission after ignition.
SpaceX suffered its second launch scrub in less than a week after its Falcon 9 rocket failed to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Monday.
On-screen telemetry graphics showed all nine Merlin engines briefly ignited before quickly shutting down. SpaceX ended its broadcast prior to offering an explanation and didn’t immediately share further details on social media.
“Standing down from today’s Starlink launch; vehicle and payload remain safe,” SpaceX wrote in a brief post on X.
