Overview
- Ship 40 was guided to sheltered waters off Christmas Island on Tuesday after about 24 days floating in the Indian Ocean while SpaceX recovery vessels trailed and stabilized it.
- The vehicle came from Flight 13, which launched on July 24 and successfully deployed 20 Starlink V3 satellites, performed an in‑space Raptor relight, and executed a controlled reentry with an intact splashdown.
- Recovery crews used multiple support ships, air‑filled fenders and very slow towing—often one to two knots—to keep the 52‑metre upper stage afloat through rough seas while an exclusion zone was enforced by Australian authorities.
- SpaceX says a team of engineers is en route to conduct hands‑on inspections in calmer waters, but saltwater exposure and tipping damage mean reuse or return to Starbase is uncertain and still under evaluation.
- The intact recovery provides rare data on the thermal protection system and engines that could shape fixes for rapid reuse and the planned tower ‘catch,’ and it drew strong local interest on Christmas Island while raising questions about off‑shore recovery rules.