Description
Upon its landing and making its journey home, SpaceX Starship 40 became the first-ever Starship to "return to sender". It is now making its long trek home to Starbase Texas, marking it as the first-ever Starship to be fully recovered. So, in honor of such a momentous occasion, we created this brand-new "Starship Float Test" Design.
"Never thought I'd be a boat," need we say anymore?
NOTE: The Maritime border is experimental due to limits with embroidery machines; we may have to change the border to a solid color. If you purchase this patch, please be aware this change may happen.
THE SHIPPING: These Patches are in the early stages of ordering; please stay tuned for solid shipping timelines. We expect shipping to happen around early November.
The Design
1) Starship Float Test:
We used Starship Float Test as a playful variation on the familiar Starship Flight Test wording. Since this design focuses on Starship floating after splashdown, changing just one word keeps the connection while adding a bit of humor.
2) “Starboat”:
We used Starboat as the main title as another playful reference to Starship at sea. The handwritten style gives the patch a lighter personality and contrasts with the more technical outer typography. The small birds help reinforce the ocean setting without taking attention away from the main subject.
3) Recovery Vessel:
We added the recovery vessel to give the scene more context and scale. Its real-life orange coloring was changed to black, white and red so it would match the overall color composition of the patch more closely.
4) Starship:
Starship remains the main focal point, shown low in the water. We illustrated the visible heat-shield damage to reflect what the real vehicle had already experienced through flight, re-entry and splashdown.
5) The Ocean:
The ocean was given a large part of the composition because it is central to the floating Starship story. Layered blues, turquoise and white wave crests add movement and depth while remaining suitable for embroidery.
6) Never Thought I’d Be A Boat ¯_(ツ)_/¯:
If this line immediately put a very specific song in your head, then the reference worked exactly as intended. A completely unnecessary little maritime Easter egg for those who know... and if you don’t, it’s probably better that way :).
7) The Maritime Border: (Experimental)
The alternating red and white outer border was intentionally designed to resemble a life preserver, tying the entire patch back to Starship floating at sea. We wanted the border itself to become part of the story, giving the patch an immediate recovery-and-survival feel while making the maritime theme clear before you even look at the central scene.