Brief
SpaceX's Ship 40 returns to Starbase after historic ocean recovery
The 171‑foot Starship upper stage, known as Ship 40, completed a 24‑day ocean tow and landed at Starbase for inspection.
By Felo News Desk · Published
SpaceX announced that Ship 40, the first Starship upper stage to survive a launch, orbital flight and controlled splashdown, has been returned to its South Texas launch site, Starbase, after a two‑month journey.
What happened
Ship 40 launched atop Super Heavy Booster 20 on July 24, 2026, on the vehicle’s 13th test flight. The stage performed a sub‑orbital trajectory before executing a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Unlike earlier Starship stages that broke apart on impact, Ship 40 remained largely intact and stayed afloat.
SpaceX initiated a recovery operation that towed the 171‑foot (52‑meter) vehicle across rough seas for 24 days. The stage arrived off Australia’s Christmas Island in August, where engineers inspected the vehicle and collected heat‑shield samples. The stage was then loaded onto the semi‑submersible transport ship Forte for the trans‑Pacific leg.
Forte reached the Port of Brownsville on October 7, 2026, and the stage was driven overland to Starbase. On October 13, Ship 40 was hoisted upright inside the Megabay hangar, joining three newer Starship upper stages awaiting launch.
What the reports add
SpaceX’s post on X highlighted that the return will provide “first‑of‑its‑kind data on a flown Starship heatshield, Raptor engines, avionics, and more.” The company noted that while it has recovered three Super Heavy boosters using launch‑tower arms, it has not yet returned a Starship upper stage to its launch site under its own power.
What was said
SpaceX wrote on X on October 13, “It will provide first‑of‑its‑kind data on a flown Starship heatshield, Raptor engines, avionics, and more.” The post did not include comments from Elon Musk or other officials.
How it came about
The successful recovery follows a series of SpaceX milestones earlier in 2026, including the September 30 orbital flight that deployed 26 Starlink satellites and the October 12 Falcon 9 launch of 27 Starlink satellites. Those missions, covered by Felo News in recent articles, illustrate SpaceX’s parallel push on both Starship and Falcon 9 platforms.
Key facts
- Ship 40 launched on July 24, 2026, atop Super Heavy Booster 20. (space.com)
- The stage survived a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean and remained largely intact. (space.com)
- After a 24‑day tow, Ship 40 arrived at Port of Brownsville on October 7, 2026. (space.com)
- Ship 40 was hoisted upright inside Starbase's Megabay hangar on October 13, 2026. (space.com)
- SpaceX said the return will yield first‑of‑its‑kind data on heatshield, engines, and avionics. (space.com)
Sources
- [1] space.com — originally reported as “The 1st SpaceX Starship to survive a launch to space just came home to its launch site”
