Additional Coverage:
- Nicki Minaj attends SpaceX’s Starship launch as she delivers 10-word message to Elon Musk (themirror.com)
Rapper Nicki Minaj made an unexpected appearance Wednesday during the live webcast of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 12 launch at the Starbase facility in Texas. Her brief message to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk caught both the hosts and viewers by surprise. Addressing Musk directly, Minaj said, “Elon, thank you for everything you are doing for humanity.”
The highly anticipated launch, marking the 12th test flight of the Starship program and the debut of SpaceX’s new, larger V3 vehicle, was ultimately postponed. Just moments before liftoff Thursday, the countdown was halted due to a technical issue, pushing the attempt to Friday evening.
Standing at 408 feet tall, the V3 Starship is slightly taller than its predecessor and boasts redesigned engines that deliver an impressive 18 million pounds of thrust. Along with enhanced fuel capacity and improved navigation systems, these upgrades represent a significant technological leap for the program. According to SpaceX, the new features aim to support rapid reuse, in-space refueling, deployment of Starlink satellites, and future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.
During the planned flight, the rocket was expected to orbit Earth for about 65 minutes, deploying 22 simulated Starlink satellites and testing the ability to relight one of its six Raptor engines during a deorbit burn.
SpaceX commentator Dan Huot reassured viewers, saying, “New rocket, new pad, we’re learning a lot about these new systems as we execute them for the first time. We are expecting to be able to make another flight attempt tomorrow.”
Despite the setback, the launch has been rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. EDT Friday from the same Texas facility, with thousands of fans eagerly following the progress via live streams. The Starship program, which has faced challenges including mid-flight explosions and reentry issues since its 2023 debut, continues to push the boundaries of aerospace technology with this latest iteration.