SpaceX Rocket Crashes During Drone Ship Landing -- Again

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After four delayed attempts, Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Friday, successfully deploying a communications satellite into orbit.

But, as the company had warned may happen, the attempt to land the 14-story rocket booster on a drone ship at sea ended much as did three previous tries: in flames.

Rocket landed hard on the droneship. Didn't expect this one to work (v hot reentry), but next flight has a good chance.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2016

As with previous missions, SpaceX said landing the rocket was a secondary objective. The primary goal of delivering a commercial communications satellite called SES-9 into orbit for the company SES was a success.

Friday's attempt was not without suspense. As the rocket booster came in for an upright landing aboard the floating, football field-sized drone ship, comically named Of Course I Still Love You, the video feed cut out.

.@SpaceX almost showed its #Falcon9 rocket landing on a drone ship — but then the video cut out. Fate is unclear.https://t.co/pDpNI9sveU
— Mashable News (@MashableNews) March 4, 2016

The hiccup sent anxious viewers into a frenzy.

Hey @SpaceX we’re on pins and needles!
— Verge Science (@VergeScience) March 4, 2016

Criminy, @SpaceX - I NEED TO KNOW! I need a shower.
— Curt Godwin (@Crow_T_Robot) March 5, 2016

Musk later broke the news of the crash -- which the company had warned in advance may happen -- via Twitter.

Target altitude of 40,600 km achieved. Thanks @SES_Satellites for riding on Falcon 9! Looking forward to future missions.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2016

SES-9 spacecraft in Geo Transfer Orbit, 40,600 km in altitude. Photos -> https://t.co/K47HQ7fHjp @SES_Satellites pic.twitter.com/5BDZxzbLV5
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 5, 2016

Friday's launch, initially scheduled for Feb. 24, had been postponed several times, including once when a boat wandered too close to the launch site.

@SpaceX AF has placed launch on hold due to a boat entering the edge of the keep out zone. Scrambling helo to get them to move.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 28, 2016

In December, SpaceX made history when a Falcon 9 landed successfully on land about six miles from where it took off. Musk called it a "revolutionary" moment and a "critical step along the way to being able to establish a city on Mars."

Landing at sea, however, has proven much more challenging. Last month, a SpaceX landing off the coast of California ended in flames after one of the rocket's landing legs failed to lock in place. 

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.

A video posted by Elon Musk (@elonmusk) on Jan 17, 2016 at 7:07pm PST

See below for a the full webcast of SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch.








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