SpaceX returns first surviving Starship upper stage to launch site

SpaceX has returned Ship 40, the first Starship upper stage to survive a launch to space and a subsequent ocean splashdown, to its launch site at Starbase in South Texas. The spacecraft arrived at the company's Megabay hangar nearly three months after its July 24 launch, according to SpaceX.

Recovery from the Indian Ocean

Ship 40 launched atop Super Heavy Booster 20 on July 24 for the vehicle's 13th flight test. The mission concluded with a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Unlike previous Starship upper stages, which exploded after tipping over in the water, Ship 40 remained largely intact and afloat.

The recovery process involved towing the 171-foot (52 meter) stage through rough seas for 24 days. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk expressed doubts about the success of the recovery efforts at the time. The spacecraft arrived off the shores of Australia's Christmas Island in August, where engineers performed an initial inspection and collected heat shield samples.

Journey back to Texas

Following the inspection, Ship 40 was loaded onto "Forte," a semi-submersible transport ship, for the journey back to the United States. Forte arrived at the Port of Brownsville on Oct. 7. The spacecraft was then transported overland to Starbase, where it was lifted to a vertical position and moved inside the Megabay hangar.

SpaceX shared photos and video of the return on Oct. 13. "The first Starship to return to its launch site, Ship 40's journey took it across air, space, and sea," SpaceX wrote in a post on X. "Now that it is vertical alongside three other Starships in a Megabay at Starbase, it will provide first-of-its-kind data on a flown Starship heatshield, Raptor engines, avionics, and more."

Implications for reusability

The return of Ship 40 provides SpaceX engineers with an unprecedented opportunity to study hardware that survived atmospheric reentry and splashdown. While SpaceX has successfully recovered Super Heavy boosters using the mechanical arms of its launch tower, the company has not yet returned a Starship upper stage to its launch site under its own power.

Ship 40 now stands alongside three successor spacecraft under assembly. The data gathered from the inspection is expected to inform future vehicle designs and recovery operations. Ship 41, the immediate successor to Ship 40, launched on Flight 14 before Ship 40's return. Although Ship 41 did not survive its Pacific Ocean splashdown, the mission marked Starship's first orbital flight and included the deployment of 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites.

Why it matters

The successful recovery of Ship 40 marks a significant milestone in SpaceX's efforts to develop Starship as a rapidly reusable launch vehicle. By studying the physical effects of reentry and splashdown on the heat shield, engines, and avionics, engineers can refine the systems required for future flights. Elon Musk has stated that Flight 15 could feature the first attempt to catch a returning Starship upper stage using the launch tower's mechanical arms, provided the spacecraft meets necessary safety conditions. SpaceX has not announced an official launch date for Flight 15.

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Sources

• space.com: The 1st SpaceX Starship to survive a launch to space just came home to its launch site | Space
• notebookcheck.net: SpaceX brings Starship back to launch site for the first time — three months after launch - Notebookcheck News

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.