SpaceX returns Ship 40 to Starbase for heatshield analysis

SpaceX has moved Ship 40, the Starship second stage from Integrated Flight Test-13, into a Megabay at its Starbase facility in Texas. The vehicle is the first Starship to return to its launch site after a flight.

Ship 40 completed its mission on July 25, making an intact splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Unlike previous tests where ships typically exploded upon hitting the water, Ship 40 remained floating, allowing recovery crews to tow the 171-foot vehicle to Christmas Island after 24 days adrift. Following the collection of heatshield samples, the ship was transported via a heavy-lift vessel back to Texas, arriving on October 7.

Engineers intend to use the vehicle to gather “first-of-its-kind data” regarding the performance of the flown heatshield, Raptor engines, and avionics. Studying the physical tiles and seams up close is a priority for SpaceX, as developing a rapidly reusable heatshield remains a significant technical challenge for the Starship program.