SpaceX launched its 13th Starship test flight on July 24, 2026, resulting in the first intact splashdown for the V3 prototype [1, 2, 3].

This milestone is critical for the company's goal of full vehicle reusability. While the mission encountered several technical failures, the survival of the upper stage provides essential data for future recovery operations and deep-space missions.

The vehicle launched from the SpaceX site in Boca Chica, Texas [1, 4]. During the flight, the rocket experienced an apparent engine relight failure [5]. Despite this setback, the V3 upper stage continued its trajectory toward the Indian Ocean [3, 4].

According to a CNN space correspondent, "The vehicle achieved a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean, a first for the V3 prototype" [1]. This outcome contrasts with the performance of the Super Heavy booster, which did not land as planned [6]. The USA Today Space Desk said the booster experienced issues, but the V3 Starship returned intact [7].

Elon Musk said the upper stage remained floating after the descent. "We have a plan to recover the upper stage after it lands intact in the Indian Ocean," Musk said [2].

The mission, dubbed "Lucky 13," aimed to demonstrate key milestones for the V3 prototype and test the capability of the engines to relight in flight [1, 8]. Although the booster landing failed, the intact recovery of the upper stage marks a shift in the test program's success rate for the newest vehicle iteration [7].

SpaceX continues to iterate on the Starship design to reduce costs and increase launch frequency. The recovery of the V3 vehicle will allow engineers to analyze the effects of atmospheric reentry on the new hull design [2, 8].

“The vehicle achieved a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean, a first for the V3 prototype.”

The successful soft splashdown of the V3 prototype indicates that SpaceX is improving its precision during the descent phase, even when other systems fail. While the engine relight issue and booster failure highlight remaining instabilities in the flight stack, the ability to keep the upper stage intact allows SpaceX to transition from purely destructive testing to a recovery-and-analysis model, which is essential for the long-term viability of the Starship program.