SpaceX’s planned launch of its Starship rocket was put on hold after a technical glitch with the engines arose just before takeoff. The launch was meant to proceed from the company’s Starbase location in Texas on Thursday, but the countdown was suspended when several engines failed to ignite as planned. This malfunction triggered an automatic abort system, leading SpaceX to commence the process of draining fuel from the rocket.

The delay is a setback for Elon Musk’s vision of using Starship for ambitious projects such as broadening the Starlink satellite network, creating space-based infrastructure, and eventually transporting humans to the Moon and Mars. Despite the setback, SpaceX aims to attempt another launch in the coming days, while engineers work to identify and resolve the engine issue.

This mission was poised to be the Starship rocket’s first significant test flight since SpaceX’s recent entry into the public market. The launch delay had immediate financial repercussions, with the company’s shares dropping by over 6 percent in early trading.

SpaceX has heavily invested in the development of Starship, pouring over $15 billion into the project. The spacecraft is designed to be fully reusable, marking a significant step forward in reducing the cost of space travel. In addition to its own goals, SpaceX holds contracts with NASA to utilize Starship for upcoming lunar missions. However, several technical hurdles remain before the spacecraft can safely carry astronauts.