Controlled Splashdown
Controlled splashdown refers to the precise maneuvering of a launch vehicle or spacecraft stage to land in a designated body of water, typically for recovery, safety, or reusability purposes. This technique is critical for SpaceX Starship operations, where controlled splashdown allows for the retrieval of the Super Heavy booster or Starship upper stage after orbital-insertion or sub-orbital tests.
Key Milestones & Events
SpaceX Starship Flight 14
Significant developments regarding controlled splashdown and mission objectives occurred during the 14th test flight of the Starship vehicle.
- Orbital Insertion: Achieved the vehicle’s first successful orbital-insertion, a prerequisite for complex re-entry and splashdown profiles.
- Starlink Deployment: Successfully deployed 26 starlink-v3 satellites, demonstrating payload capacity alongside recovery operations.
- Controlled Splashdowns: Executed controlled splashdown maneuvers for vehicle stages, marking a critical step in the reusability pipeline.
- Detailed Analysis: For granular telemetry and procedural breakdowns, see SpaceX Starship Flight 14: Orbital Insertion, Starlink Deployment, Controlled Splashdowns.
References
- TheSpaceBucket. “What Exactly Happened On SpaceX’s 14th Starship Flight Test?” YouTube, 29 Sep 2026. SpaceX Starship Flight 14: Orbital Insertion, Starlink Deployment, Controlled Splashdowns