Watch SpaceX's Starship land at sea in these stunning new videos
SpaceX used drones and a special 'buoy cam' to capture incredible footage of its Starship upper stage making a soft ocean landing after its 13th test flight on July 24.
After Starship's 13th successful launch from SpaceX's Starbase in South Texas on July 24, 2026, the upper stage accomplished key milestones: delivering 20 next-generation Starlink satellites, reigniting a Raptor engine in space, and making a soft splashdown off the coast of Western Australia. However, the lower stage encountered engine issues.
Fresh videos offer incredible views of the upper stage's successful journey. A Starlink satellite, floating in the Indian Ocean, captured footage of the 171-foot (52-meter) upper stage roaring above the water and generating steam as its engines slowed it down for a gentle splashdown. SpaceX posted a video on July 28, showcasing Starship swaying dramatically mid-air to achieve a near-vertical orientation before landing.
An on-ship view of the splashdown provided dramatic swings and ocean steam. The upper stage remained afloat in the Indian Ocean for several days after launch, as confirmed by SpaceX on X, with recovery teams continuing to gather imagery of the vehicle at sea. Starship Version 3, a 408-foot-tall stacked system comprising the Super Heavy booster and the upper stage, aims for rapid reusability for various applications, including astronaut moon missions and launching more powerful Starlink satellites.
Despite this achievement, SpaceX must address goals for potential participation in the Artemis III astronaut mission next year and possible moon landings during Artemis IV. Experts have raised concerns about the Starship heatshield, indicating further modifications will be necessary for reusability.
Written by urgent.news from Space.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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