— SpaceX test-fires Super Heavy Starship booster ahead of 5th flight (video) It's also unclear why SpaceX went to the trouble of salvaging the hardware from the sea; Musk did not provide a reason in his X posts. "Some SpaceX watchers are speculating it could be after the booster's engines as part of its research to glean additional knowledge or simply to ensure they don't fall into the hands of rival companies or other countries," Brandon Lingle of the San Antonio Express-News wrote in an article published on Sunday. That piece told the story of a group of independent filmmakers who heard about the Super Heavy recovery operation in the Gulf and chartered a boat to observe it. SpaceX is gearing up to launch Starship's fifth test flight. The company says that it's been ready to fly since early August, but it likely won't get approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) until late November. The FAA says it needs more time to assess the launch's potential environmental impact and to review modifications to the Starship vehicle and flight plan that SpaceX made after Flight 4. Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.