SpaceX achieved a clean ocean recovery of the Starship upper stage on Flight 13 in late July 2026, clearing the way for the first tower-catch attempt on Flight 14, now targeted for late August pending FAA approval. The mechanical arms—upgraded with faster electromechanical actuators—have repeatedly caught the larger, slower-returning Super Heavy booster, but capturing the lighter upper stage after near-orbital reentry requires precise heat-shield performance, controlled descent, and hover alignment at the Starbase tower. Elon Musk has stated that positive Flight 13 telemetry supports proceeding without an ocean splashdown on the next mission, accelerating the path to full reusability. Any regulatory delay or post-flight data review finding could push the milestone into September or beyond, directly shaping near-term market odds.