The upper stage of SpaceX’s Starship (Ship 40), which successfully splashed down in the Indian Ocean after its 13th test flight in July, has been towed to the coast of Christmas Island. After 24 days at sea, the recovery team navigated challenging conditions to bring the 52-meter module to calmer waters. Engineers will now conduct a detailed analysis before attempting to return it to Starbase. This success is a major step toward reusable rocket technology, though prolonged saltwater exposure likely renders the stage unusable for another flight — the focus is now on learning from it to improve future designs.
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