SpaceX just made history.

[Ruffdaddy]

Technically, yes. However their rocket isn't capable of putting anything into orbit. It has no bearing on space exploration. Whereas this has a huge impact on it.

I guess youll have to Define space exploration. Does that mean adding the the already thousands of satellites in orbit or bringing supplies to the ISS.

And by huge impact you mean huge cost savings right? The landing of a rocket is a cost saver.

And its absurd to think you cant apply blue origins tech in other applications. thats fanboyism.

[LANTIRN]

How close does this get me to my own Millinium Falcon?

[mstng86]

That is pretty cool.

Is Musk trying to turn into a modern day Howard Hughes?

[Craizie]

How close does this get me to my own Millinium Falcon?

What the hell is an Aluminum falcon?

[mschmoyer]

Awesome to watch these live. I got on the edge of my seat when they hit "Max Q". Everyone in the crowd (SpaceX employees) got dead quiet too.

It was also fun to watch them start cheering wildly when the rocket was *almost* on the ground. I was cheering with them. It was like hey...it got back to the pad...that's good enough. If it tips, we got somewhere...

Then boom...nailed it. Awesome.

Edit: Time to go play some more Kerbal...

[bird_dog0347]

STUCK the landing!

[jw33]

...

[Sgt Beavis]

Definitely a miss today. Sounds like the landing gear had a failure.

[Strychnine]

Video here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BAqirNbwEc0


Even in rough seas it was just 1.3m from the bullseye and had a soft landing... but that leg didn't lock out properly.

[Strychnine]

Falcon lands on droneship, but the lockout collet doesn't latch on one the four legs, causing it to tip over post landing. Root cause may have been ice buildup due to condensation from heavy fog at liftoff.

- Elon Musk

[mschmoyer]

Pretty damn close. They had 13 foot waves too, before the live feed cutout you could see the platform rocking pretty hard.

I wonder if it's possible to design some kind of catch towers that fly up and catch it as soon as it lands. Twice now it's made the landing but tipped over afterwards.

[ceyko]

Just noticed this thread, some really awesome things - even the failures are progress. At least as far as we generally know.

is SpaceX an American company?

[Strychnine]

is SpaceX an American company?

Yes. Founded by Elon Musk - same guy who founded PayPal, Tesla, Solar City, etc. Basically Tony Stark.

[Baba Ganoush]

Probably a silly question but....why did it explode?

[Ruffdaddy]

Probably a silly question but....why did it explode?

I believe its a pressurized assembly...not sure what pressure and fuel levels are left to land the rocket...but obviously enough to go boom.