Satellite images show tugboats towing SpaceX Starship through Indian Ocean

Satellite images captured over the weekend reveal a fleet of recovery vessels working to tow SpaceX's Starship prototype through the Indian Ocean, more than a week after the 52-meter spacecraft splashed down following the company's 13th integrated test flight on July 24.ctvnews+1

The images, taken on Aug. 2 and 3 by Colorado-based geospatial intelligence company Vantor, show Norwegian tugboats Normand Ranger and Skimmer Tide positioned alongside SpaceX's support vessel Go Australis, with a tow line attached to Starship's nose. Ship tracking data from MarineTraffic indicated the tugboats were moving at roughly one knot while broadcasting restricted maneuverability, suggesting towing operations were underway. Go Australis has since separated from the group and is heading back to Australia on its own.cnn+2

An Unplanned Recovery

SpaceX did not originally intend to recover Ship 40. But the vehicle's splashdown at its target site off the coast of Western Australia was so gentle that it remained airtight and buoyant rather than sinking, as all prior prototypes had. SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot called the landing a "dream scenario" during the company's livestream of the flight. On July 28, CEO Elon Musk confirmed the company would attempt to retrieve the vehicle.cnn+3

Flight 13 hit most of its objectives: all six Raptor engines on the upper stage functioned throughout flight, 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites were deployed, and SpaceX successfully relit a Raptor engine in space. SpaceX later released footage captured by cameras mounted on the deployed Starlink satellites, offering a view of Starship from its own cargo as it drifted in orbit.space+3

What Comes Next

Recovering Ship 40 could yield data on the performance of Starship's ceramic heat shield tiles after atmospheric reentry at speeds exceeding 28,000 km/h — information that is difficult to obtain any other way. Musk has indicated that the Flight 13 results were promising enough for SpaceX to attempt catching the Starship upper stage with the launch tower's mechanical arms on Flight 14, a maneuver the company has so far performed only with the Super Heavy booster. That attempt would depend on data reviews and FAA regulatory approvals, and no launch date has been announced.satnews+4

The recovery effort and the prospect of a tower catch come as SpaceX faces its first public earnings report as a publicly traded company, scheduled for after the market close on Tuesday.teslarati