Key facts
- SpaceX engineers are en route to Christmas Island to retrieve a Starship upper stage.
- The Starship upper stage landed in the Indian Ocean on July 24 after a test flight.
- The spacecraft released 20 satellites before re-entering the atmosphere.
- SpaceX plans to analyze the vehicle in calmer waters before its return to Starbase.
- The Australian government is engaging with SpaceX on recovery efforts.
Engineers from Elon Musk's SpaceX are en route to Christmas Island to retrieve a Starship upper stage that landed in the Indian Ocean following a test flight on July 24. The spacecraft, which had released 20 satellites, is currently floating off the coast of the remote Australian island.
SpaceX announced that its recovery team successfully guided the Starship to its current location and that a team of engineers will conduct further analysis before attempting to return it to Starbase. Local residents noted the unusual sight of the rocket, with some hoping the global attention will boost tourism to the island.
Experts highlighted the increasing amount of space debris due to the rapid acceleration in satellite launches, with around 16,000 active satellites now in orbit, a significant portion belonging to SpaceX. While upper stage rocket bodies can pose risks due to toxic materials or leftover fuel, the recovered Starship appeared largely intact, suggesting a lower risk of fuel leakage.
The Australian Space Agency confirmed it is engaging with SpaceX on recovery efforts. Scientists also pointed out the potential for reusing different stages of rockets, not just the first stage, as demonstrated by this recovery effort.