SpaceX's Starship completed its 13th test flight Friday with a successful ocean splashdown of the upper stage off the coast of Western Australia, according to new videos released by the company.
What Happened
Starship launched July 24 from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas. The 171-foot (52-meter) upper stage achieved all major milestones: deploying 20 next-generation Starlink satellites, reigniting a Raptor engine in space, and executing a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Videos released by SpaceX showed the vehicle generating steam as engines swiveled to slow its descent. One clip captured Starship swaying dramatically midair to achieve near-vertical orientation before landing. The upper stage remained afloat in the ocean for days after launch, with SpaceX's recovery team gathering imagery of the vehicle at sea.
Why It Matters
The splashdown marks another step toward SpaceX's goal of making Starship rapidly reusable for applications including NASA's Artemis III astronaut moon missions and launching larger Starlink satellites. However, Ars Technica reported that experts have raised concerns about the Starship heatshield, noting more changes will be required for full reusability. The lower stage also faced engine issues during this flight.
The Bottom Line
SpaceX continues to advance its 408-foot-tall Version 3 system through regular testing while working toward meeting requirements for upcoming Artemis missions expected to involve docking operations.