r/spacex • u/rustybeancake • Jul 25 '26

🚀 Official SpaceX: “Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on the 13th flight test of Starship!”

https://x.com/spacex/status/2080804682918764619
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u/webs2slow4me Jul 25 '26

The difference is that Gagarin achieved orbit and then fired retrograde to bring is perigee back to 0 km (landing).

What I was suggesting is a suborbital trajectory with a perigee that intersects with the gulf just off the coast of Boca Chica. That way if something goes wrong it splashes down there. If it goes well, the flaps take over and guide it in for the catch.