SpaceX Starship still floating 5 days after flight | Space photo of the day for July 29, 2026

SpaceX continues to track the Starship V3 upper stage following its recent flight test on July 24, 2026. Five days after the mission concluded, the 171-foot vehicle remains afloat in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia. The rocket achieved a controlled splashdown, which SpaceX describes as its softest landing to date.

Flight Test 13 involved the 408-foot-tall rocket performing a suborbital trajectory. The upper stage sustained heat shielding marks during re-entry but otherwise stayed largely intact. This performance highlights the progress of the company toward its goal of rapid reusability. While the rocket is currently being monitored in the water, the company aims to eventually land both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage for inspection and immediate turnaround.

Experts note that significant engineering hurdles remain before fully rapid and sustainable reusability is viable. The heat shield longevity presents a notable technical challenge that the company must resolve for future mission success. Despite these obstacles, the ability to maintain the vehicle in a stable, floating state demonstrates a major step in testing landing precision and structural integrity.

SpaceX maintains a heavy focus on iterating the design of the V3 system. This test provided valuable data on both atmospheric re-entry and post-landing stability. Observers continue to compare the current status of the vehicle to previous flight attempts, as the company works to refine its processes for upcoming launches.