SpaceX rocket stages recover after splashdown, Christmas Island locals gather to glimpse
A SpaceX rocket stage that splashed down in the Indian Ocean has drawn attention on Christmas Island after being towed towards the territory. The 52-metre-long component touched down in the ocean on 24 July following a test flight from Texas, and has since become a source of curiosity for residents.
David Watchorn, chair of the Christmas Island Tourism Association, said he initially mistook the object for ships while driving to work, before realizing it was a rocket. "It's really incredible to think about what it's been through," he told the BBC. "The more and more you look at it, the more fascinating it's becoming."
Locals have responded with keen interest. Some have reportedly taken time off work to catch a glimpse, while others have prepared their boats for a closer look at the hardware. The sighting has added an unexpected highlight to life on the remote island, which lies in the Indian Ocean.
The rocket is part of SpaceX's Starship development programme, which aims to create a fully reusable launch system for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. During the 24 July test, the upper stage, known as Starship, completed a suborbital trajectory and was designed to descend into the Indian Ocean for a controlled splashdown. The recovery of the stage allows engineers to study its condition after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Such test flights are routine in the development of new space hardware, though recovery of large components is less common. The presence of the rocket on Christmas Island, an Australian external territory, is a reminder of the growing reach of commercial space operations in the region.
Watchorn noted that the rocket's appearance has sparked conversations among residents about space exploration. "It's not every day you see something like this from your front porch," he said.
The local tourism body is monitoring the situation, but for now, the rocket remains a temporary, and unusual, attraction. No official statements have yet been made by SpaceX regarding the recovery or future plans for the stage.
