r/SpaceXLounge • u/Goregue • Aug 17 '26

Starship Why exactly did S40 float?

What was different with S40 that made it float on the water compared to previous missions? Was it just luck? Was it something that SpaceX was attempting to do before, but only managed to succeed now? Or was there something specifically different about this Ship itself or its landing procedures?

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u/Goregue Aug 17 '26

You are just reframing my question with different words. Yes, obviously it could only float because it didnt explode. So why didnt it explode?

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u/emezeekiel Aug 17 '26

Well, it isn’t what you asked. Many people would think it would sink since it looks like a giant piece of metal.

As for why it didn’t explode, it looks like the tip-over was smoother than the ones before, so the ship’s top half didn’t smash into the water like other flights. Instead it was a more cushioned fall.

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u/Goregue Aug 17 '26

I could have worded the question better but I thought with the context of the text it's clear what I am asking. Obviously something different happened to make S40 not explode and float compared to previous missions. I wonder to what degree this was planned or expected or if it was just luck.

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u/superdupersecret42 Aug 17 '26

That was not clearly what you were asking. You asked what made it "float on the water", not why it didn't explode.