Nicki Minaj makes surprise visit to SpaceX Starbase launch site

American rapper Nicki Minaj made an unexpected appearance at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas during preparations for a Starship V3 rocket test launch.

The 43-year-old Starships hitmaker was seen at the Boca Chica launch site wearing a SpaceX-branded Starship T-shirt and briefly appeared on the live webcast coverage of the event.

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She reportedly described the experience as “historic,” noting it was her first time witnessing a rocket launch in person.

The Starship V3, SpaceX’s latest heavy-lift prototype, was scheduled for liftoff as part of ongoing testing of the company’s next-generation spacecraft designed for satellite deployment, lunar missions, and eventual deep-space exploration.

However, the launch was scrubbed shortly before liftoff due to a technical issue during the final countdown. SpaceX engineers cited unresolved system checks and confirmed a new launch attempt would be made later.

Minaj’s appearance quickly gained traction online, with fans highlighting the coincidence between her 2012 hit song Starships and the real-world rocket launch event.

SpaceX’s Starship programme remains under active development as the company continues iterative testing aimed at achieving full reusability and supporting NASA’s Artemis lunar missions and future Mars exploration goals.