SpaceX Rocket Crashes in Latest Attempt At Barge Landing

[Purveyor]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

June 15, 2016 — 12:36 PM EDT Updated on June 15, 2016 — 1:23 PM EDT

Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP) -- After three successes, a leftover SpaceX rocket booster crashed Wednesday while trying to land on an ocean barge.

The attempt came minutes after the Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched two satellites from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

SpaceX chief Elon Musk said via Twitter that there was a problem with one of the three engines used to slow the first-stage booster for landing. He said it may be the hardest crash of all. Early attempts also failed.

SpaceX's first successful landing on the platform off Florida's east coast came in April, with two more last month. It also landed a 15-story booster in December on land at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-15/spacex-fails-in-latest-attempt-to-land-rocket-on-ocean-barge

[PJMcK]

1. Bummer

We should support all the different space technologies especially if they're being developed by private industry. Humanity's future could be in space.

A question, however: Why does the SpaceX rocket land on a barge instead of on land?

[HappyinLA]

3. No land to land on

The launch from the Cape heads east. Only thing out there is the Atlantic, where most rockets splash down.

[PJMcK]

5. Thanks, I sort of realized that...

... after I posted the question. Rockets take off headed east in order to take advantage of the earth's rotation, i believe.

[HappyinLA]

8. also keeps them from

dropping down in place like Orlando. Which, frankly, we wouldn't have liked very much.

[PJMcK]

10. Orlando's had enough excitement for one week (n/t)

[Travis_0004]

30. Yup

Isreal is at a disadvantage, they are the only people who launch their rockets west (since launching over unfruendly neighbors isnt a great idea).

Also, the ISS has an inclination of 51.6%. It actually is higher than ideal for us, but it helps the Russians from traveling over China until they are well within space. This inclination makes Cape Caneveral a better launching spot than Texas.

So one, Nasa can demand they launch at Cape Caneveral, but its also logistically the best spot (I realize todays launch was not for the ISS)

[Cassiopeia]

12. That's not quite correct.

They have had a successful landing on land at Canaveral while launching from Canaveral. It takes much more fuel to do this operation though because they need to turn the booster around and fly back after separation. Carrying that extra fuel for that kind of landing could limit payload size.

[phazed0]

4. Because of a few reasons..

First, it makes re-entry faster and easier by having a moving landing pad... so they are not required to have a stationary landing station (ex. Cape Canaveral).. this way the rocket can go up, deliver, come down wherever is convenient and fast. Second is for safety, if anything goes wrong 100 miles up, who's to say where it will 'fall'.. so if the thing does fail and fall over the ocean, well.. not so much of a big deal. No land to purchase, gov't approval, etc, either.

[PJMcK]

7. Thanks (n/t)

[ErikJ]

2. Come on Elon. Quit wasting money on your toys.

Spend it on solving real problems like climate change or wildlife extinction.

[truthisfreedom]

6. Ridiculous comment. His rocket delivered two satellites, then the booster section was being returned

to Earth when it crashed.

[KamaAina]

9. "real problems like climate change or wildlife extinction"

may make space travel necessary. Sooner than we think.

[ErikJ]

11. That would make the return of the rocket unnecessary then.

A much more realistic scenario is living on space stations or the moon colonies. He should be spending his money on space colonies or stations research.

[jiminvegas]

14. The part of the rocket that lands is just one stage

and it does not go to the space station.

[Travis_0004]

28. Reusing a rocket can cut cost significantly

Fuel is cheap. About 200k.

A rocket cost about 54 million.

If you can recover the rocket, refurbish it, and refuel it you can cut the cost of space travel by 75%

[Cassiopeia]

13. He could raise 100 times his total wealth

then spend every cent on climate change and he would accomplish nothing.

Only a global effort by every single person, corporation, and government can possibly create any kind of meaningful climate change slow downs, let alone reversals.

[ErikJ]

15. Well he is indirectly doing a lot with his Tesla car and house battery

but he could do more. He would be wiser to use his money for his hyperloop train which is much more revolutionary and ecological than his rocket play toys.

[Cassiopeia]

19. Both of those are additional play things for the very well off

and in the grand scheme of things are immeasurable.

The train could help, but only if governments finance and build a usable system for the masses, not a small loop for the few.

I get it, we need change. The fact is we won't get it. Realisticly we must plan for the effects climate change brings and how (and where) we can survive them.

[ErikJ]

22. Dont forget habitat destruction

Right now we are undergoing an unprecedented huge wildlife extinction event due to decreasing wildlife habitat worldwide, especially the tropics. He could probably leverage his money there for the most bang for the buck.

Or indirectly what the Gates are doing, by trying to reduce the 3rd world population explosion by educating and empowering 3rd world women.

I just think playing with rockets is wasting his money. Especially since he has so many failures. Leave that up to world governments like NASA with the proper R&D resources.

He could be researching and developing 100's of different ideas dealing with carbon reduction and climate change right here on earth. His space toys seem kind of quixotic.

[Cassiopeia]

23. Where to start.

First, habitat loss is a global problem not limited to 3rd world countries unless you classify the US as one of those. We fight against birth control harder than those 3rd world countries lack it.

As far as space exploration goes, NASA as it was is done. It is no longer in the business of launching anything into space. If spacex and ULA folded up and closed its doors Canaveral's pads would lay fallow and unused. We have privatized space exploration.

[ErikJ]

25. Space exploration with current technology is useless

It will take a huge revolutionary breakthrough to make human space exploration feasible. Meanwhile we are despoiling our own nest the earth. Doesnt make sense.
But I do think a space or moon station colony or city would be supercool. But probably a resort type thing for the 1%.

[truthisfreedom]

24. Space toys. You're seriously misinformed.

SpaceX is under contract to NASA and others to deliver supplies to the International Space Station and to deploy satellites, which he did SUCCESSFULLY TODAY. He works for a living. He made money with his rocket today. IT'S NO TOY. Jeeze, you're spreading so much BS when all you'd have to do is stop typing and read a little. Elon is a genius, and you're seriously ignorant.

[Nihil]

36. And what are the most effective mechanisms for spotting/monitoring habitat destruction?

Satellites and the ISS.

Elon Musk is in the *business* (not hobby or playtime) of using *re-usable*
rockets to launch satellites and re-supply the ISS.

In other words, he's been putting shitloads of *his* money into things that
*he* can do to help the planet: electric cars, storage banks to even out
wind/solar energy and reusable rockets to keep scientists fed with information.

How about you loudmouth?

[NWCorona]

17. Satellites are essential for the fight against climate change as well as other things.

I don't see it as an either or situation.

[anigbrowl]

26. What an ignorant comment

He already runs a successful electric vehicle company which has probably done more to make green energy 'cool' and drive technological innovation than a generation of politicians have achieved. And space travel is an equally worthy problem. Maybe you should focus on your own efforts.

[ErikJ]

29. Yes why cant he do MORE cool things like Tesla

or the hyperloop. Human interplanetary space travel is science fiction which I grew out of when I was 10. Meanwhile our planet is being destroyed. All extra resources should go to saving it.

[Travis_0004]

31. the hyperloop will not happen anytime soon.

[ErikJ]

32. An international hyperloop system would be a more realistic

and beneficial to humanity and the earth than human interplanetary space travel and colonization.
I would love the idea of permanent human space and moon colonies though.
More satellite research and development should also be a priority. I'm in favor of robotic planetary and asteroid exploration too for basic research of the solar system. But not at the expense of saving the earth for human and wildlife habitation.

[anigbrowl]

37. I'll take his judgment over yours

Interplanetary space travel is perfectly achievable, worth doing IMO, and only one part of what he's doing with SpaceX. If it becomes much cheaper to launch satellites thanks to private enterprise in space then that also means better environmental monitoring and more data with which to influence policymakers.

[DRoseDARs]

33. I agree, so many unnecessary things in the world...

http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2674

[ErikJ]

34. Musk isnt doing basic research. He's wasting billions on

an engineering problem which is ultimately for human interplanetary space travel which I think is folly.

[Cassiopeia]

35. Perfect.

[sofa king]

38. Guess what people wore before the Space Age?

Animals.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. Silly headline. Try this one:

SpaceX made history by launching safely two experimental spacecraft which employ xenon drives. SpaceX successfully brought back the launcher to its high tech floating platform. Unfortunately, extremely high waves and winds almost guaranteed a heavy landing which would damage the craft. This was SpaceX 6th successful commercial launch, besting NASA's early records by a factor of three. The telemetry of the launcher provided invaluable information about how to deal with extremely adverse weather conditions in the future.

[NWCorona]

18. You gotta break some eggs to make an omelet.

Frankly I'm surprised at the level of success they are having.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. Some very good engineering.

It really is rocket science.

[NWCorona]

21. Truth!

[Duckhunter935]

27. That sucks

But they will learn from it