SpaceX’s Falcon 9 first stage boosters are able to return to earth in a controlled descent and land vertically. They are then recovered, serviced, and put back into launch rotation. This past week, however, one of those landings didn’t go quite as they planned.
Tracking shot of Falcon water landing pic.twitter.com/6Hv2aZhLjM
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2018
You can also ride along with the rocket as it makes its dizzying descent.
Engines stabilized rocket spin just in time, enabling an intact landing in water! Ships en route to rescue Falcon. pic.twitter.com/O3h8eCgGJ7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2018