Nicki Minaj made an unexpected appearance during a livestream for SpaceX’s Starship Flight 12 launch, delivering a public message of support for Elon Musk during the company’s latest test event in Texas.

The appearance took place during SpaceX’s webcast from the Starbase facility, where the company had planned to launch the upgraded V3 Starship rocket.

According to the broadcast, the mission forms part of Musk’s wider plans for a fully reusable launch system designed to support future lunar missions.

Wearing a Starship-themed shirt, Minaj addressed viewers and praised Musk’s work in the aerospace sector. “Elon, thank you for everything you are doing for humanity,” she said during the livestream.

The launch was ultimately called off moments before take-off due to a reported technical issue.

During the webcast, SpaceX head of communications Dan Hout explained, “We’re learning a lot about these systems as we execute them for the first time, and we’re not able to basically troubleshoot all of these issues in those final seconds to get to launch.”

The rapper’s appearance generated mixed reactions online.

Some social media users questioned the relevance of her involvement in the event, while others welcomed the collaboration and praised her support for the programme.