SpaceX's Starship Version 3 remains afloat in the Indian Ocean five days after its Flight Test 13 launch, with a photo shared by SpaceX on July 28 showing the vehicle still intact and mostly out of the water off Western Australia.
What Happened
Starship V3 launched on July 24, sending the 408-foot-tall (124-meter) rocket on a suborbital trajectory. The upper stage, standing at 171 feet (52 meters), achieved its softest splashdown yet in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX posted an image to X on July 28 describing the vehicle as 'still afloat in the Indian Ocean.' Video captured from aboard Starship and from Starlink satellites deployed during Flight Test 13 documented the flight.
Why It Matters
The intact floating upper stage marks a step toward Starship's goal of rapid reusability—eventually landing both stages and returning them to flight readiness within days. However, experts note that developing a durable, reusable heat shield remains a significant hurdle, with some calling the challenge a potential obstacle for missions requiring full rapid reusability.
The Bottom Line
Starship V3's intact splashdown is a notable achievement in SpaceX's iterative testing program, though the vehicle still faces technical hurdles before fully reusable operations can be realized.