SpaceX Successfully Recovers Starship From the Ocean

According to Ixbt.com, SpaceX announced the successful completion of a complex operation to deliver its Starship Ship 40 prototype to calm waters near Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. This unique recovery operation was the first of its kind in the aerospace industry and marked an important step in the development of future reusable spacecraft technologies. Ixbt.com reports .

During the test conducted as part of the 13th test flight, Starship made history by performing its first controlled soft landing in the Indian Ocean while maintaining its structural integrity. Unlike previous prototypes, it did not explode upon hitting the water and continued transmitting telemetry data via Starlink immediately after landing.

A Complex Towing Operation and Ocean Testing

After landing, the spacecraft remained in the open ocean for nearly a month. The recovery operation was carried out by the Normand Ranger and Go Australis vessels, which safely brought the 52-meter giant into a sheltered bay despite challenging weather conditions and powerful waves.

Experts managed to carefully tow the spacecraft at low speed. Although the operation was fully completed, the prolonged exposure to salt water and the effects of spaceflight inevitably took their toll on the vehicle.

The Spacecraft’s Condition and Future Plans

According to initial reports, the vehicle sustained significant damage during its weeks in the open ocean. In particular, many thermal protection tiles had come loose from the hull, one of the forward control flaps was completely lost, and the other was seriously damaged.

Engineers are now conducting a detailed assessment of the overall condition of the Starship hull, its thermal protection, and other systems. By analyzing the data and materials collected, experts plan to further improve the design of future spacecraft.