High demand for SpaceX's Starship ceramic tiles on eBay
SpaceX has launched three fully-stacked Starship prototypes into orbit so far. The initial two attempts last year ended in large explosions, scattering around 18,000 hexagonal ceramic tiles across South Texas beaches each time. The most recent orbital launch saw the latest prototype reach space, fly over Africa, and crash into the Indian Ocean. Despite the crash, it's plausible that some ceramic heat shields detached during launch. Now, these tiles are fetching high prices on eBay, creating a thriving secondary market.
Tiles were found on beaches near SpaceX's facility
Ceramic heat shields are designed to protect Starship from the intense heat during its atmospheric re-entry into Earth's atmosphere at 25 times the speed of sound. However, they have now become coveted items. A few lucky individuals have reported finding perfectly preserved heat shield tiles, from the recently exploded Starship prototype, on beaches near SpaceX's testing facilities in Boca Chica, Texas. These rare items are now being sold online, contributing to the growing market for these unique mementos.
Heat shield chunks commanding high prices online
The retrieved heat shield tiles are listed on eBay with prices ranging from $30 for damaged/broken tiles to over $2,000 for a largely intact one. One tile is even listed at an astonishing $7,500 on eBay. Whether it'll sell for anywhere near that price remains unclear, but the seller is hopeful about the potential earnings it'll generate. A review of completed sales reveals that one tile fetched $3,395 on Monday, underscoring the high demand and value of these unique keepsakes.
Starship's re-entry: A display of heat and light
During initial launch attempts, heat shield tiles were observed detaching from the Starship prototype. Last week, footage released by SpaceX depicted the spacecraft's underside being consumed by an orange-red glow, a "hot plasma field" that intensified as it reentered the atmosphere. This dramatic spectacle underscores the extreme conditions these ceramic tiles are engineered to endure, adding to their allure as unique keepsakes from one of humanity's most daring space exploration endeavors.
