SpaceX Recovers Starship S40, ULA Appoints New CEO

The images highlight the Forte's partial submergence to facilitate the loading of S40 onto its cargo deck, where a specialized securing system prevents the spacecraft from rolling during transit.

SpaceX lauded its recovery team for overcoming challenging conditions, emphasizing that the recovered data would be invaluable for engineers in continuing Starship's rapid development.

Engineers accessed the vehicle via small boats and physically climbed onto the heat shield section while it remained in the waters off Christmas Island, noting, "SpaceX engineers spent several days inspecting ship 40 in the waters off Christmas Island. They collected heat shield samples and gained vital insight into how the vehicle handled re-entry with improvements now planned."

Personnel utilized small boats to access the vehicle, physically climbing onto the heat shield section to collect samples and gain vital insights into the vehicle's re-entry performance and the effects of prolonged seawater exposure.

The inspection provided critical data, informing planned improvements for future Starship vehicles.

Initial inspections of Starship S40 revealed significant physical damage, including two missing forward flaps and visible erosion on the remaining ones.

Numerous heat shield tiles were missing or peeled, exposing the stainless steel structure beneath, alongside white streaks indicative of coolant leakage and yellow-orange marks from heat or combustion.

Despite the external damage, the engine bay appeared relatively clean, potentially due to the efficient combustion of methane fuel.

The Raptor vacuum engine and one sea-level Raptor on Starship S40 appeared warped, with several other sea-level engines displaced from their original pre-launch positions.

The vehicle displayed clear signs of prolonged exposure to the ocean, necessitating extensive engineering analysis before any final conclusions can be drawn about its overall integrity.

Navigation maps show the Forte traveling west-southwest at over 14 knots, ruling out the Pacific route and pointing toward a practical Cape of Good Hope transit for an October 8th arrival at Starbase, Texas, according to official movement reports.

The most practical route for Forte is considered to be around the Cape of Good Hope, bypassing the Panama Canal.

Traveling at a reported speed exceeding 14 knots, the vessel is estimated to arrive at Starbase, Texas, around October 8th.

The cargo deck of the semi-submersible Forte vessel lowered 13 meters below the surface on August 26th, using two lines to secure the nose cone and aft section with yellow retaining pins to prevent rolling during the operation, as the vessel is described as a heavy lift platform.

The Forte, a semi-submersible heavy lift vessel, lowered its cargo deck approximately 13 meters below the water's surface to facilitate the delicate procedure.

Two lines were utilized to secure the nose cone and aft section, while yellow retaining pins prevented any rolling of S40 during the loading process.

Salt water, storm exposure, and rough waves battered the Starship S40 for 774 hours, resulting in the loss of one forward flap during its month-long immersion in the Indian Ocean.

During its time at sea, S40 was exposed to the corrosive effects of saltwater, as well as challenging storm conditions and rough waves, leading to the loss of one forward flap.

Its current position on the recovery vessel allows for enhanced inspection and provides better protection against further environmental damage.

The recovery vessel efficiently transported the vehicle to shore, ushering in a new chapter for the Starship program's analysis and development.

China's Chang'e 7 lunar probe mission, originally slated for an August 23rd launch from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, has been indefinitely postponed.

The delay was caused by tropical depression Nanga, which rendered launch conditions unsuitable and necessitated the rocket's return to the factory for safekeeping.

The mission's reliance on a precise Earth-Moon alignment means that the postponement severely limits future launch windows for this year, impacting its objectives to explore the Moon's south pole for crucial water ice resources using a rover and a hopping robot.

Peller brings over 35 years of industry experience, including significant contributions to the Space Shuttle and Delta programs, and was selected after a months-long search that considered both internal and external candidates.

Peller previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer and steps into the role after John Elban served as interim CEO following Tory Bruno's departure.

Board member K Sears highlighted Mark Peller's deep understanding of both ULA's business and technical offerings as crucial factors in his selection for the CEO position.

Peller's career began in 1990 at Rockwell International, contributing to the Space Shuttle program, and continued with work on the Delta launch programs after Boeing acquired Rockwell's space business in 1996, eventually serving as chief engineer for Delta 2 and 4, and later as Senior Vice President for Vulcan programs.

Mark Peller assumes leadership of ULA at a challenging time, facing the grounding of the Vulcan rocket due to a performance anomaly with a solid rocket booster.

The company is also under significant financial pressure, with Boeing and Lockheed Martin providing hundreds of millions of dollars in loan guarantees to support its operations.

Furthermore, ULA contends with ongoing engine supply issues involving Blue Origin's BE-4 engines, which are used in both the Vulcan rocket and Blue Origin's New Glenn, a situation complicated by a liquid oxygen valve identified as the cause of a New Glenn test explosion.