*Restock in June*

Own a rare piece of spaceflight history with this exclusive Rocket Material Collector Tag, featuring an authentic sample of the black thermal layer from the thermal protection system (TPS) of SpaceX’s Starship Block 2 Ship 33 (S33). Recovered from debris after S33’s breakup over the Turks and Caicos Islands on January 16, 2025, during SpaceX’s seventh Starship test flight (Flight 7), this artifact was collected alongside other sections, such as the ceramic heat shield tiles. As the first Block 2 ship to fly, S33 represents a landmark in SpaceX’s Starship program, and this piece offers a direct link to that historic mission.
 
The black thermal layer, described as a rubber-like material directly touching the stainless steel hull, is likely a thin thermal felt or silicone-based layer, serving as the foundational interface in S33’s TPS. Positioned beneath a white, thick ceramic fiber blanket (the primary heat-absorbing layer) and the outer ceramic tiles, this black layer ensured proper adhesion and initial insulation for the 304L stainless steel hull against reentry temperatures up to 2,600°F (1,400°C). Assembly images of S33 reveal the meticulous layering process, with the stainless steel hull visible alongside sections where the TPS, including this black layer, was being applied.

Launched on January 16, 2025, from Starbase, Texas, atop Booster 14, S33 was the first Block 2 Starship to take flight, showcasing upgrades like a shorter payload bay for increased propellant capacity. The mission aimed to test reentry and deploy Starlink simulator satellites, achieving a historic catch of the Super Heavy booster. However, seven minutes and forty seconds into the flight, the upper stage suffered a catastrophic failure due to an oxygen/fuel leak, breaking apart over Turks and Caicos. Debris, including this black thermal layer, scattered across the Caribbean Sea and islands, marking a critical moment in SpaceX’s iterative development.