Specialist vessel begins loading SpaceX Starship 40 for Texas voyage

The heavy-lift semi-submersible carrier Forte reached Christmas Island late Sunday and positioned itself within a few hundred metres of SpaceX’s Starship 40. By submerging its rear, the ship will lift the floating 52-metre booster straight out of the sea for the 17,000-kilometre journey to Starbase, Texas. Residents such as Lisa Preston and David Watchorn noted the spectacle as one of the most remarkable experiences on the island, while children expressed both excitement and sadness at the rocket’s departure.

The rocket had spent 24 days at sea after a controlled splashdown on July 24, with assistance from the Australian Space Agency. Elon Musk has said the flight demonstrates core orbital capabilities, and researchers like David Gozzard expect the retrieval to provide data for future reusable designs.