SpaceX日前成功完成第13次全尺寸Starship测试飞行[1]。飞船从南德克萨斯州发射后飞行约一小时，随后在印度洋澳大利亚西部远程区域精准溅落[1]。此次着陆过程中飞船保持完整结构，平稳翻覆漂浮，改变了以往溅落后爆炸的局面[1]。
SpaceX工程师随后用无人机对飞船热防护盾进行了检查[1]。数据显示，超过18000块陶瓷瓷砖在经历2600华氏度（约1430摄氏度）的重返大气层高温后依然完好[1]。SpaceX已将目光转向下一步目标——利用地面塔臂捕获返回的飞船[1]。
SpaceX completed its 13th full-scale Starship test flight, launching from South Texas and conducting an approximately one-hour mission that concluded with a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean west of Australia [1]. Unlike previous attempts that resulted in post-landing explosions, the vehicle remained intact and settled smoothly in a floating inverted position after impact, marking a significant advancement in the test program [1].
Drone inspections revealed that the spacecraft's heat shield, composed of over 18,000 ceramic tiles, successfully withstood reentry temperatures reaching 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit [1]. The successful recovery of the vehicle in recoverable condition has prompted SpaceX to plan a tower catch system for the next Starship test flight, signaling the company's confidence in the vehicle's reliability and readiness to advance its capture methodology [1].