Starship news
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The gist
SpaceX recovered Starship Ship 40 after 24 days at sea, guiding it to Christmas Island. The intact splashdown marks a key step toward reusable spacecraft.
Background
Starship is SpaceX's fully reusable super heavy-lift rocket, designed for missions to the Moon and Mars. After its 13th test flight on July 24, 2026, the upper stage (Ship 40) splashed down intact in the Indian Ocean for the first time, but recovery efforts were hampered by rough seas. After about 24 days, the recovery team successfully guided it to a location off Christmas Island, where engineers will analyze it before returning it to Starbase in Texas.
How it unfolded
- Jul 24, 2026Starship Flight 13 launched from Starbase, Texas, achieving several successes including first-stage ascent and deployment of Starlink satellites.
- Aug 7, 2026SpaceX reported challenging conditions and increasingly rough seas during recovery efforts, with Elon Musk saying the recovery was 'not looking good.'
- Aug 18, 2026SpaceX announced the recovery team successfully guided Starship to a location off Christmas Island after approximately 24 days at sea. Engineers are en route for further analysis before returning it to Starbase.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- SpaceX confirmed the recovery, stating the team successfully guided Starship to a location off Christmas Island and that engineers will conduct additional analysis.
- Public
- A photographer who spotted the recovery called it 'incredible to see,' and SpaceX's VP of Launch Kiko Dontchev wrote 'Never give up' on X.
Still unverified
Elon Musk's comment that recovery was 'not looking good' was made before the successful recovery, but the specific circumstances of the recovery challenges are based on SpaceX's social media posts.