Starship after the 13th flight will likely sink in the Indian Ocean.
- Starship is drifting in the Indian Ocean after its 13th flight.
- The towing attempt failed due to bad weather.
- The ship is likely to sink, but valuable data has been obtained.
- The 14th test flight is scheduled for the end of the month.
On July 24, 2026, the Starship launch vehicle took off from the Starbase complex in Texas. After a suborbital flight, the ship made a planned soft landing off the coast of Western Australia, becoming the 52nd vehicle to not be destroyed upon contact with water.
Unique landing and subsequent rescue attempt
After the ship remained afloat, SpaceX undertook a rare operation – an attempt to tow it to the Australian shore. The goal was to allow for a detailed inspection of the structure after a real atmospheric re-entry. However, just a few days later, the ocean became more turbulent, and the waves began to intensify.
On August 7, Elon Musk noted on social media X that the prospects for rescue looked 'not very good.' The company did not disclose the exact reasons, but from its messages, it is clear that the main problem was the deteriorating weather conditions and rising waves, which complicated the management of the massive floating structure.
Probable end of the mission in water
As of the end of August, the upper stage has been drifting in the Indian Ocean for almost two weeks. According to experts, without significant improvement in the weather, the ship is likely to sink, and its final fate will remain unknown.
Despite the potential loss, SpaceX has already obtained valuable data. The rescue team took close-up photos of critical areas – the heat shield and the engine. These areas have long been considered a bottleneck in the program, as the reusable ship must withstand extreme heating during re-entry from space without extensive repairs.
Elon Musk stated after the 13th flight that the thermal protection issue is practically resolved. The images obtained allow engineers to check the condition of materials and structures in real conditions, which will accelerate further refinement.
Results of the 13th test flight
In addition to preserving the upper stage, the flight demonstrated several key achievements. The Super Heavy booster completed its part of the mission, falling into the Gulf of Mexico, while Starship released 20 full-size demonstration Starlink V3 satellites, which re-entered the atmosphere after a short suborbital trajectory.
These results confirm the readiness of technologies for future heavy launches and the transition to full reusable operation. According to the plan, the 14th test flight of the Starship complex is scheduled to take place by the end of the current month, which will allow for the continuation of procedure testing and the collection of new data.
Thus, although the current apparatus is likely to be lost in the ocean, the information obtained and the overall success of the 13th flight strengthen SpaceX's position in the competition for leadership in space transportation.
Source: 3DNews
