SpaceX failed to stick another landing following the launch of its Falcon 9 rocket Monday evening.
The rocket successfully deployed a new batch of 60 Starlink internet satellites into orbit, but the booster missed the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in Port Canaveral upon its return.
During SpaceX’s livestream of the mission, a flash of light is seen at the right side of the landing pad when the booster was set to touch down.
Although the firm has not made an official announcement, CEO Elon Musk hints on Twitter at the idea that it crashed into the ocean.
One Twitter user posted, ‘RIP booster you will be missed’ shortly after the Monday mission, in which Musk replied: ‘Yea. Active fairing half recovered though.’
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Monday’s Starlink mission kicked off at 10:59pm ET, when Falcon 9 ignited its engine and took off into the night sky
The failed booster landing comes just two weeks after SpaceX’s Starship Serial Number 9 (SN9) prototype exploded when attempting to land following its first high altitude test February 2.
Monday’s Starlink mission kicked off at 10:59pm ET, when Falcon 9 ignited its engine and took off into the night sky.
Because the area was completely dark, the rocket looked like a shooting star heading back into space.
After releasing the batch of Starlinks, the booster made a successful re-entry burn back into the atmosphere by re-igniting its three engines to slow down.
During SpaceX’s livestream of the mission, a flash of light is seen at the right side of the landing pad when the booster was set to touch down
Moments later SpaceX turned the livestream on the droneship to watch the booster land, but things did not go accordingly to plan.
‘It does look like we did not land out booster on Of Course I Still Love You,’ one of the ground crew members said in the livestream.
‘It is unfortunate that we did not recover this booster.’
The failed landing happened nearly one year after another booster was lost at sea during landing.
Because the area was completely dark, the rocket looked like a shooting star heading back into space. After releasing the batch of Starlinks, the booster made a successful re-entry burn back into the atmosphere by re-igniting its three engines to slow down
Although the firm has not made an official announcement, CEO Elon Musk hints on Twitter at the idea that it crashed into the ocean. One Twitter user posted, ‘RIP booster you will be missed’ shortly after the Monday mission, in which Musk replied: ‘Yea. Active fairing half recovered though
However, the mishap is not stopping SpaceX from launching its 20th batch of Starlink satellites Tuesday at 9:55pm ET.
SpaceX rarely has issues with its Falcon 9 rockets, but the same cannot be said for its Starship rocket prototypes.
On February 2, the firm lost its SN9 and in December its SN8 – both exploded while attempting to land.
The SN9 did hit its high altitude mark, but on its return trip, the massive rocket was unable to pull up in time and smashed into the launch pad.
SN8, however, looked as if it was going to stick the landing, but exploded the second it touched the ground.
