Arabic version: تجهيز ستارشيب 40 التابعة لسبيس إكس للرحلة إلى تكساس

According to ABC News, a specialist semi-submersible cargo carrier has arrived at Christmas Island to retrieve SpaceX’s Starship 40 and take it back to Starbase, Texas. The Maltese-flagged Forte docked at Flying Fish Cove late on Sunday after travelling from Indonesia, public marine traffic data showed.

The heavy-lift vessel anchored within a few hundred metres of the 52-metre-long rocket and began loading it directly from the water on Monday. The Forte can sink its stern using ballast before floating again with cargo aboard. It is expected to depart for the United States after completing preparations.

Starship 40 was towed to Christmas Island almost a week earlier, following a controlled touchdown in the Indian Ocean on July 24. The upper-stage craft, described by SpaceX as attached to the world’s most powerful booster, spent 24 days at sea while mainland crews faced rough weather and delays. The Australian Space Agency previously confirmed the federal government was helping SpaceX’s recovery effort.

The rocket’s stay drew attention from residents, including young space enthusiasts. University of Western Australia senior research fellow David Gozzard said its retrieval would provide data to help design future Starships for repeated use. SpaceX hopes to launch, catch and reuse rockets, with the soft splashdown serving as a test of performance.