Overview

• Both stages splashed down nearly intact—Super Heavy in the Gulf of Mexico and Starship in the Indian Ocean—after deploying eight Starlink simulators and performing an in‑space Raptor reignition.
• Post‑flight imagery showed orange discoloration on the heat shield that Elon Musk attributed to oxidized metallic test tiles, and he said the tiles almost entirely stayed attached.
• SpaceX recorded its 400th successful droneship recovery on Aug. 27 during a Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral, highlighting the operational cadence of Falcon 9 reuse.
• Falcon 9 booster B1067 completed its 30th flight and landing on Aug. 28, extending the per‑booster reuse record for an orbital‑class rocket.
• Musk said the first Starship ‘catch’ is most likely on Flights 13–15 depending on how V3 flights go, with reporting indicating the attempt could slip into 2026.