SpaceX Starship Ship 40 Survives Splashdown: What Happened After the Softest Landing Ever

SpaceX commentator Dan Huot called it "the softest splashdown we have ever had with Starship" . On every previous ocean-ending flight, the vehicle had broken apart on contact. This time, it simply floated .

A Floating Laboratory: 100+ Hours of Telemetry

After splashdown, Ship 40 continued transmitting live telemetry and high-definition video back to SpaceX via Starlink satellite links . This gave engineers an unprecedented real-time view of the vehicle's condition on the water — something no previous test had provided .

Elon Musk posted new video on July 29 confirming the vehicle was still afloat more than 100 hours after landing . The spacecraft drifted over 160 kilometers from its initial touchdown point, tracked by radar .

Recovery Vessel Dispatched

By July 28–29, SpaceX confirmed it had sent a recovery vessel to retrieve Ship 40 . Satellite imagery captured about 56 hours after landing showed the recovery ship Go Australis already near the floating vehicle .

Musk stated the company intends to recover the upper stage for engineering inspection . The recovery team has continued collecting imagery and data from the floating vehicle .

Why the Heat Shield Data Matters for Artemis

The intact vehicle gives SpaceX engineers something they have never had before: the chance to physically inspect Starship's thermal protection system after a real reentry from orbital velocity. Drones flew over the vehicle to examine more than 18,000 ceramic heat shield tiles up close .

This data is considered critical for NASA's Artemis lunar program, which depends on Starship as the Human Landing System . According to multiple reports, the heat shield performed well through peak heating, and close-up tile inspection will help validate designs for future crewed lunar missions .

Recovery Infrastructure Talks with Australia

Separately, SpaceX has been in ongoing discussions with U.S. and Australian officials about landing and recovering future Starship rockets off Australia's coast . The Australian Space Agency confirmed contact in July 2024, and emails released under freedom of information laws show the activity was discussed "at a high level" with Defence authorities .

While these talks predate Flight 13, the success of Ship 40's intact float-and-recover scenario adds practical urgency to establishing permanent recovery infrastructure in the region .

Ship 40 Won't Fly Again

Despite the successful splashdown and recovery attempt, Ship 40 is not expected to fly again. Prolonged exposure to saltwater has almost certainly damaged its internal systems, engines, and structure beyond practical refurbishment . The value of the vehicle now lies in forensic examination of real flight hardware — not reuse .