SpaceX recovers rocket that splashed down off Christmas Island
An operation by Elon Musk's SpaceX and the federal government successfully retrieves the rocket after it landed in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia.
SpaceX has successfully recovered a 52-meter-long rocket that splashed down off Christmas Island, causing excitement in the remote territory. The rocket, named Ship 40, was launched on July 24 from Texas and landed near Christmas Island, roughly 1,500 kilometers off Western Australia's coast. The retrieval operation, initially hampered by rough seas, was coordinated by the federal government and SpaceX.
After 24 days at sea, SpaceX confirmed the successful recovery of the rocket. A SpaceX engineering team is now analyzing the vehicle in calmer waters before returning it to Starbase. Christmas Island Tourism Association chair David Watchorn was impressed by the rocket's size as it approached the coastline. The incident follows a recent crash of a four-tonne SpaceX upper stage on the moon, drawing attention to the growing issue of space junk.
With 4,510 launches in 2025 compared to 586 in 2019, experts predict an increase in space debris in the southern hemisphere, including Australia. Space junk has already been discovered on Australian beaches and near a mine site in Western Australia.
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