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SpaceX Loses the Center Core of its Falcon Heavy Rocket due to Choppy Seas

posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday April 16 2019, @07:55AM   Printer-friendly
from the caution-deck-is-slippery dept.

martyb writes:

SpaceX had a successful launch, orbit insertion, and recovery of all 3 rocket boosters last Thursday. Unfortunately, they were unable to fasten down the central core on the ASDS (Autonomous spaceport drone ship) "Of Course I Still Love You:

Shifting seas and high winds brought it down.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @08:54AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @08:54AM (#830336)

    But the robot design had issues with the modifications for the heavy mating booster's stubs and couldn't clamp it efficiently in the same way it had clamped the normal falcon boosters in the past. I imagine they will do some revisions now that this issue has become apparent, but given that the heavy is an interim solution and the BFR is looking to be able to launch at the same or lower cost once in production, I don't know how much engineering effort and money will go into fixing the octopus before it is rendered obsolete.