First Starship upper stage to survive spaceflight returns to Starbase

SpaceX has brought Ship 40, the first Starship upper stage to survive reentry and splashdown, back to its Starbase facility in Texas. Engineers will study its heat shield, Raptor engines and avionics for data on flown hardware.

• Ship 40 launched July 24 on Super Heavy Booster 20 and splashed down in the Indian Ocean
• The 171-foot stage was towed for 24 days, then carried to Texas aboard the ship Forte
• It arrived at the Port of Brownsville on Oct. 7 and was moved to Starbase
• Ship 41 already flew on Flight 14 and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites