SpaceX recovers Starship's upper stage after 24-day ocean chase
TL;DR
SpaceX recovered the Starship upper stage (Ship 40) from the Indian Ocean after 24 days at sea, towing it to shore near Christmas Island. The intact upper stage will be returned to Starbase in Texas for analysis to improve future Starship designs, following Flight 13.
- SpaceX recovers Starship spacecraft Elon Musk once feared lost to sea USA Today
- On 7 August, Elon Musk said Ship 40's ocean recovery was “not looking good.” Eleven days later, on 18 August, it was towed intact to waters off Christmas Island — the first Starship upper stage ever recovered intact after returning from space. Space Daily
- Starship lives! SpaceX craft arrives at Christmas Island after 24-day ocean ordeal Space
- SpaceX Starship the talk of remote Australian island as Elon Musk’s engineers sent to retrieve it The Guardian
- Against all odds, SpaceX finally tugs Starship into port after 24 days at sea Ars Technica
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