CEO Elon Musk said that SpaceX delayed the launch of the No.11 (SN11) spacecraft for the first time from Friday to Monday so that the company could “land and fully” fix the steel rocket.

And first, the weekend will give SpaceX time to “pull the extras” and search for data produced during testing for the Starship SN11 and any red flags or minor issues. Although regular, same-day shooting was not planned on Friday, March 26, SpaceX took over the first half, pulling one of only three Starship Raptors to validate the replacement engine after trading the Raptors on Thursday. . For the first time SpaceX intentionally launched a single raptor installed on a prototype of a three-engine starship, so it would save extra time to ensure all three were still in good condition.

Probably stay on SN11 until Monday. Additional clearance required. We try our best to get down and recover completely.

Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 26 mars 2021

The weather in Boca Chica, TX has also worsened in recent times, so even an extra few days will (hopefully) improve wind conditions, visibility and rain. According to Musk, the Starship SN11 is scheduled to fly “noon” Monday afternoon, and as usual, SpaceX will provide live coverage of its fourth High Altitude launch and landing effort that will begin before takeoff.

It is expected that the Starship prototype will be able to continue the trend of iterative improvement and that the Starship SN10 will be within minutes with a slightly softer, non-burst landing. Stay tuned here to watch the official webcast and for updates on SpaceX’s social media platforms.