Elon Musk says Starship Flight 13 recovery ‘not looking good’ after splashdown
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reported that the recovery of the Starship Flight 13 spacecraft from the Indian Ocean is unlikely due to rough sea conditions. Despite the failed recovery, the mission successfully gathered critical engineering data from the heat shield and engines.
Why it matters
This mission represents a significant step toward full rocket reusability, which is essential for reducing the cost of space exploration.
SpaceX's attempt to recover its Flight 13 Starship from the Indian Ocean is facing fresh challenges, with CEO Elon Musk saying the recovery effort is "not looking good right now" because of rough sea conditions. The update comes days after the spacecraft made SpaceX's most successful Starship splashdown to date and remained floating in the ocean for recovery. In a recent post on X, SpaceX said its recovery team is continuing efforts to bring the 52-metre-long Starship to port despite "challenging conditions and increasingly rough seas."Replying to the post, Elon Musk wrote: "Unfortunately, ship recovery is not looking good right now.
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