![]() Previous attempts at landings at sea have failed either because of problems with the extending legs or because the rocket hit the barge at the wrong angle, causing it to topple over and explode. What would be interesting to know is if the barge tries talking to the booster. The ASDS is set to maintain a location, the rocket is aiming for that location. Almost certainly the initial location is sent by Mission Control, refined the whole time. Last year it also won the right to compete for the most sensitive US national security launches, on which ULA had previously held a monopoly. But SpaceX is contesting the patent (obviously, since they are actually doing it). It has been carrying cargo to the space station for Nasa, the US space administration, since 2010 under an arrangement designed to bring down costs. The ‘autonomous spaceport drone ship ‘ (ASDS) Just Read. SpaceX's lower costs have made it a critical part of the US's space programme. SpaceX has sent both of its East Coast drone ships to sea to support an upcoming pair of back-to-back Falcon 9 launches and landings. Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's chief operating officer, said last month that she expected reuse to cut the cost of launches with the Falcon 9 - already cheaper than ULA's alternatives - by as much as 30 per cent. SpaceX successfully launched its Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station atop the Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Friday at about 1:45 p.m. That in turn means the rocket has more remaining fuel, which improves its chance of manoeuvring successfully on to the drone ship. ![]() ![]() SpaceX has persisted with attempts to make recoveries at sea, despite the substantial difficulties, because it entails a considerably shorter flight back to earth for the rocket than a return to Florida.
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