[AgentK20]

There's likely minimal value to recovering it given how much telemetry they already have, plus having launched very similar boosters (test flights 5 and below, plus Starhopper) for a similar launch profile. Additionally, based on previous comments SpaceX engineers have made when towing an in-the-water booster back to land, making it safe for transport to active commercial waterways is a huge pain in the ass. There's also considerations to be made for protection of intellectual property: much harder for other companies to steal your trade secrets from the bottom of the gulf of mexico.

[madaxe_again]

I dunno, I’d be hauling them out and laying them on the beach next to boca chica like dead whales. We’ve gotta start our first spaceship graveyard somewhere.

[adolph]

They recovered the underwater remains of IFT4’s booster, or at least the business end. As I understand it, IFT4 landed in a relatively shallow area unlike IFT3, which was also in smaller pieces.

https://spaceexplored.com/2024/09/23/spacex-recovers-flight-...

[andrewflnr]

Sad, but makes sense I guess.