SpaceX Pulls Its Starship Rocket Piece From the Ocean — A First

SpaceX has pulled a 52-metre rocket piece — the top half of its Starship spacecraft — from the Indian Ocean near Christmas Island, Australia. It is the first time a rocket this size has been recovered intact from open water. The vehicle, Ship 40, splashed down July 24, 2026, and spent about 24 days at sea. Engineers will inspect it for wear, helping SpaceX reach its goal of reusable rockets.