SpaceX rocket explodes during sea-platform landing
Chief executive Elon Musk remains optimistic about future of Falcon 9 despite dramatic blast
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded after failing to land on a sea platform correctly following the successful launch of a joint US-European satellite.
The failed approach this morning is the third time SpaceX has attempted to land one of their reusable rockets at sea, each time with explosive consequences.
Chief executive Elon Musk posted video footage of the blast on social media, along with an explanation of what went wrong.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Falcon lands on droneship, but the lockout collet doesn't latch on one the four legs, causing it to tip over post landing," he wrote on Instagram. "Root cause may have been ice buildup due to condensation from heavy fog at liftoff." The comment was accompanied by a close-up video of the failed landing and subsequent blast.
Despite the end result, the attempt is "the closest the company has come to successfully landing a booster at sea", writes Wired, while Musk remained upbeat on Twitter, saying he was "optimistic about the ship's upcoming landing".
The private aerospace company is trying to develop rocket boosters which return to the ground in an upright position so they can be reused. It has been testing the technology since 2012.
"A successful ocean landing would be a major breakthrough in Elon Musk's quest to develop a cheap, reusable rocket,"says the Daily Mail. The ability to land on water platforms provides wider flexibility for launch and recovery locations. In December, SpaceX successfully landed a Falcon 9 on land after it delivered 11 satellites into orbit.
Such successful tests, along with the near misses at sea, have propelled SpaceX into the aerospace limelight. "Barely three years ago, Mr Musk and his team estimated the chances of pulling off the technical coup of retrieving a rocket for another flight to be one in five. Even a year ago, he projected success of landing on a floating platform as a 50-50 proposition," writes the Wall Street Journal in their assessment of the lofty ambitions of SpaceX.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Election Day. Finally.'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Incendiary device plot: Russia's 'rehearsals' for attacks on transatlantic flights
The Explainer Security officials warn of widespread Moscow-backed 'sabotage campaign' in retaliation for continued Western support for Ukraine
By The Week UK Published
-
Outer Hebrides: a top travel destination
The Week Recommends Discover 'unspoiled beauty' of the Western Isles
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Is the world ready for Tesla's new domestic robots?
Talking Points The debut of Elon Musk's long-promised "Optimus" at a Tesla event last week has renewed debate over the role — and feasibility — of commercial automatons
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The next place you'll find Starlink tech isn't a war zone — it's your airplane seat
Under the Radar Several major airlines are offering free in-flight Wi-Fi through the technology
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Elon Musk's X blinks in standoff with Brazil
Speed Read Brazil may allow X to resume operations in the country, as Musk's company agrees to comply with court demand
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing, SpaceX successfully test key rockets
Speed Read Boeing’s Starliner docked at the ISS and SpaceX completed its fourth test launch of its Starship spacecraft
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Google's new AI bot 'woke'?
Talking Points Gemini produced images of female popes and Black Vikings. Now the company has stepped back.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Elon Musk's most controversial moments
In Depth The business mogul has a long history in the hot seat
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Last updated
-
2023: the year of the AI boom
the explainer This year, generative artificial intelligence bypassed the metaverse and became the next big thing in tech
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Elon Musk's 'frivolous' but precedent-setting free speech fight with Media Matters
Talking Point The lawsuit is just the latest in Musk's ongoing tension with social media watchdogs
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published