SpaceX has successfully towed Starship Ship 40 to Christmas Island following a 24-day journey adrift in the Indian Ocean.
The 171-foot upper stage launched on July 24, 2026, as part of Starship Flight 13, achieving the program’s first intact ocean splashdown. Though expected to sink after soft-landing, the vehicle remained floating. SpaceX dispatched recovery vessels to guide the 52-metre spacecraft through rough seas and challenging open-water conditions to safely reach port.
Local officials established a 500-metre exclusion zone around the rocket near Flying Fish Cove as SpaceX engineers arrive to inspect the vehicle.
The engineering team plans to analyze the hardware in calmer waters to assess its heat-shield tiles, structural integrity, and saltwater exposure. The findings will provide crucial data on full reusability before SpaceX determines how to transport the spacecraft back to Starbase in Texas.
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