The 13th test flight of Starship, conducted on July 24, culminated in an unprecedented event for SpaceX: the spacecraft managed to land in the Indian Ocean and maintained its integrity after entering the water.
In previous attempts, the vehicles involved in the tests were typically destroyed or exploded after contact with the sea. However, the survival of this vehicle has opened a new phase of work for the company, focused on recovering the aircraft and collecting data it can provide to engineers.
About a month after drifting in the ocean, Starship reached proximity to land on Tuesday (18). According to Olhar Digital, the vehicle was transported to an area near Christmas Island, located approximately 500 km south of Jakarta, Indonesia. There, SpaceX teams began assessing the ship's structure under calmer maritime conditions. This logistical operation presents a major challenge, given that the plan is to move a gigantic piece of equipment that may be damaged back to a company facility.
The Olhar Espacial program, this Friday (21), will feature science communicator Pedro Pallotta, who is a specialist in astronautics, founder, and CEO of Grupo Space Orbit. Pallotta, who holds degrees in Geophysics and Meteorology from the University of São Paulo (USP) and an MBA in Business Management, will detail this incident.
Furthermore, the program will analyze the second launch by Innospace, carried out at the Alcântara Base in Maranhão on Wednesday (19). This test occurred without much media coverage but followed the same outcome as the first launch, which took place eight months earlier: the vehicle exploded shortly after takeoff. The reasons and all known details about this case will be explained.