'Not looking good right now': Starship likely to be lost at sea 2 weeks after epic 13th test flight, Elon Musk says
SpaceX is still towing Starship's upper stage toward shore two weeks after its latest test flight, but the unprecedented effort is unlikely to succeed, according to Elon Musk.
SpaceX's Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, is facing a challenging recovery mission after its 13th test flight on July 24. The megarocket's upper stage, Ship, splashed down in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia, surviving an unexpected first landing despite toppling over in rough seas. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk expressed concern about the recovery effort, stating that it's not looking good right now.
Despite the rough conditions, the recovery team has been working to guide the 52m long spacecraft to port. Musk, however, remains optimistic about the heat shield problem, considering it solved. The successful test flight marked a significant milestone for SpaceX, as Starship is central to their ambitious plans to assemble and operate a million-satellite AI constellation in Earth orbit.
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