SpaceX successfully launched the Falcon 9 rocket as part of the resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). However, the company failed to land the rocket on the assigned barge.
The first stage of a rocket, which carries a payload to space, is normally abandoned and falls in the sea. However, SpaceX's technology is trying to get the used rocket back safely, which can then be used for other missions.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 is about 14 stories high and the rocket is used for resupply missions to the ISS. Normally the rockets that carry a spacecraft to space are not re-used after it enters the Earth's atmosphere. However, SpaceX is attempting to safely bring back the Falcon 9 so that it can be used for more than one launch. Such a technology will save millions of dollars and will make space travel cheaper in the future.
"Returning anything from space is a challenge, but returning a Falcon 9 first stage for a precision landing presents a number of additional hurdles. At 14 stories tall and traveling upwards of 1300 m/s (nearly 1 mi/s), stabilizing the Falcon 9 first stage for re-entry is like trying to balance a rubber broomstick on your hand in the middle of a wind storm," stated SpaceX.
SpaceX had built a floating barge, or a platform, to safely land the rocket back. However, its recent attempt to recover the rocket and precisely land on the floating platform has failed.
"Falcon 9's first stage attempted a precision landing on our autonomous spaceport drone ship named 'Just Read the Instructions' as part of an ongoing attempt to land and recover a rocket after it completes its primary mission. The stage made it to the drone ship and landed, but excess lateral velocity caused it to tip over," per a SpaceX press release.
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, also took on to social media and confirmed that the recovery mission of Falcon 9 failed.
Ascent successful. Dragon enroute to Space Station. Rocket landed on droneship, but too hard for survival.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 14, 2015
Recovery of a rocket and reusing it for more than one mission will make a massive difference in the space industry. However, industry experts suggest that recovered rockets will have to undergo a recertification process so that the next launch is safe, as well as successful.
This is not the first attempt to recover a launched rocket. SpaceX has already tried several times to recover its rocket but all attempts have failed. SpaceX also revealed that the next recovery mission of its Falcon 9 rocket is planned for June 2015.
Check out a short Vine video that shows Falcon 9's failed landing effort on the barge.
