Dec 12, 2024, 3:20 PM
Dec 12, 2024, 3:20 PM

Starship survives reentry and lands in the Indian Ocean, is this a game changer?

Highlights
  • Starship's upper stage splashed down in the Indian Ocean after the sixth flight test.
  • SpaceX's recovery efforts included towing and collecting hardware from the splashdown site in Australia.
  • This retrieval is part of SpaceX's strategy to improve future flight tests based on physical analysis of the recovered materials.
Story

On November 19, 2024, SpaceX conducted the sixth integrated flight test of its Starship vehicle, resulting in the upper stage successfully surviving reentry and splashing down in the Indian Ocean. Following the test, SpaceX took steps to recover the remnants of the upper stage from the water, which included various hardware components. SpaceX towed the upper stage back to port in Western Australia, demonstrating a shift in their operations as they had previously focused only on monitoring splashdowns. The retrieval efforts involved teams traveling to the Gascoyne region in Australia to collect debris, including tanks and heat-resistant panelling, which are crucial for analyzing the rocket's performance during reentry and improving future test flights. The retrieval of hardware is a significant move for SpaceX, as collecting physical samples will provide more data than they have previously been able to obtain solely through StarLink transmissions. The hardware recovered from the splashdown site will aid in assessing the effectiveness of the heat shield, a primary concern for the Starship project. Officials noted that data gathered from the first successful recovery of an intact booster had already proven valuable, and the same is expected from the Starship components. This iterative approach aligns with SpaceX's goal of continuous improvement based on individual test flights. SpaceX previously made headlines during its fifth test flight on October 9, where an attempt was made for the Super Heavy booster to be caught by the Mechazilla tower upon reentry. However, that mission did not meet the necessary criteria for a catch, resulting in a soft landing in the Texas coast. Aiming to enhance their capabilities, SpaceX is gearing up for their seventh test flight, this time focusing not only on the functioning of the vehicle itself but also on analyzing the hardware retrieved to glean insights on their design and performance. The substantial steps taken to collect debris signify the company's commitment to rigorous analysis of all aspects of their rocket's flight to advance their promising space exploration technologies.

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