Full Breakdown
Starship’s Upper Stage Floats After First Intact Ocean Splashdown
7/29/2026, 8:05:15 PM
Core Event
- On July 24, 2026 SpaceX launched the 408-foot (124-meter) Starship Version 3 (V3) from Starbase in Texas. After stage separation, the Super Heavy booster landed in the Gulf of Texas, while the upper stage (“Ship”) re-entered and performed a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia. SpaceX later posted on X that the vehicle remained afloat, marking the first intact ocean landing of a Starship upper stage.
Background & Context
- Starship test flights have been conducted since April 2023. Earlier upper-stage attempts typically ended in mid-flight explosions or breakup on water impact. Flight 13 therefore represents a milestone in the program’s effort to achieve rapid, full-vehicle reusability.
Data & Statistics
- Vehicle dimensions: 408 ft (124 m) tall; upper-stage length 171 ft (52 m).
- Mission achievements: Deployment of 20 next-generation Starlink satellites; six of those satellites carried cameras that captured heat-shield imagery during descent.
Criticism & Opposition
- Former NASA engineer Dan Rasky, former astronaut Charles Camarda, and former NASA transition-team head Charles Miller examined post-splashdown footage and identified white streaks at tile boundaries, suggesting hot-gas penetration.
- The experts argue that, despite the heat shield remaining intact, extensive inspection and refurbishment will be required before the stage could be reflown.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- SpaceX reports the heat shield survived re-entry with “minimal damage,” while the three independent experts highlight visual evidence of possible tile-boundary damage. No detailed post-recovery inspection results have been released, leaving the true condition of the thermal-protection system uncertain.
What’s Next
- SpaceX is preparing a recovery effort, with speculation that Australia will serve as the nearest port for transport and inspection.
- The company intends to reuse the upper stage on Flight 14, pending data review from Flight 13. No official timeline for the recovery operation or subsequent refurbishment has been disclosed.
