SpaceX's 13th Starship test flight achieved a rare intact splashdown in the Indian Ocean, with heat shield tiles successfully withstanding extreme re-entry temperatures. Following this success, Elon Musk announced plans to attempt a mechanical tower catch of the Starship vehicle on the next launch, marking a significant step toward full reusability.
Background
Starship is SpaceX's fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle designed for missions to Mars and Earth orbit. Previous test flights have often ended in explosive destruction upon landing, making intact recoveries increasingly valuable milestones.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Jul 26, 2026 at 01:47 AM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10