In Brief:
- SpaceX is likely to lose the Starship Flight 13 upper stage at sea due to rough conditions off Western Australia.
- Launched from Texas, the spacecraft deployed 20 Starlink V3 satellites and landed intact in the Indian Ocean.
- Recovery crews captured critical photos of the engines and heat shield to guide future upgrades.
SpaceX faces the probable loss of the upper stage (known as Ship) of its Starship Flight 13 spacecraft, as severe weather and rough sea conditions off the coast of Western Australia have disrupted towing operations aimed at bringing the 52-meter vessel back to shore.
Despite these recovery challenges, the suborbital test flight—which launched from Texas—achieved key objectives by remaining intact after splashing down into the Indian Ocean and successfully deploying 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites.
Furthermore, the spacecraft's survival upon landing provided recovery teams with an unexpected opportunity to capture crucial close-up imagery of its heat shield and engines, offering vital data to guide future design upgrades and reusability efforts for upcoming Starship missions.
Source: The Indian Express
