Mon Sep 23 22:00:27 UTC 2024: ## SpaceX Retrieves Damaged Starship Booster From the Sea
**SpaceX has recovered parts of the Super Heavy booster from its latest Starship test flight, which splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico.** The mangled metal, resembling “the ruins of a futuristic, long-dead civilization,” according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, was pictured being lifted from the ocean on Sunday.
The recovered booster, part of the first-stage of the Starship launch, was used during the successful June test flight that saw the Starship reach orbital velocity. While both the booster and the upper-stage Starship survived their descent through the atmosphere, they sustained damage during the water landing.
**The reason behind SpaceX’s salvage operation remains unclear.** Speculation suggests the company is aiming to retrieve the engines for research purposes or to prevent them from falling into the hands of competitors. A group of independent filmmakers who witnessed the recovery operation in the Gulf shared their observations with the San Antonio Express-News.
**SpaceX is currently preparing for the fifth test flight of its Starship, aiming for a launch in late November.** The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is still reviewing the launch’s environmental impact and the modifications made to the Starship vehicle and flight plan following the previous test flight.
First Piper 