After several days of weather-related delay, SpaceX successfully launched SES-9, a geostationary satellite for the satellite communications company SES, at 6:35 PM ET (23:35 GMT). The 4th attempted landing of the first stage rocket on the drone barge was unsuccessful.
SpaceX attempted to land the first stage of Falcon 9 on its drone barge, but was not confident of success due to the velocity required:
This mission is going to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit. Following stage separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 will attempt an experimental landing on the "Of Course I Still Love You" droneship. Given this mission's unique GTO profile, a successful landing is not expected.
SES-8 was launched back in December 2013, and was the first geostationary satellite to be launched with a SpaceX rocket. SES will attempt to launch seven more satellites between now and 2017, although SpaceX will not launch all of them.
NASA has ordered five more International Space Station resupply missions from SpaceX, valued at around $700 million.
(Score: 2) by legont on Saturday March 05 2016, @03:16AM
I guess it is a politically correct way of saying "not yet".
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by compro01 on Saturday March 05 2016, @03:46AM
Nope, crash and burn [twitter.com]. As they said, a successful landing wasn't really expected. This is a heavy satellite going up to GTO, so they've down to fumes for the boostback and landing burns.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 05 2016, @02:38PM
First things first, the launch was a success. Congrats.
Second thing, maybe they need to rename that drone.
Perhaps instead of 'I still live you' maybe 'Do you still love me'.
Or Charlie Brown as in CB and the football.
Life might be better if the ship provided more a stable platform.
Either a 6-dof servo, or maybe some legs floating in deeper water.
NASA's Apollo demonstrated that in terms of publicity, near perfect is boring.
X is providing an interesting show which is keeping them in the news.
They might even succeed in replacing the video showing all the crazy flying machines that didn't.
(Score: 2) by theluggage on Saturday March 05 2016, @05:32PM
Second thing, maybe they need to rename that drone.
Except it has to be an Iain M Banks Culture reference [wikipedia.org], so, alternatives might be:
Experiencing A Significant Gravitas Shortfall
Funny, It Worked Last Time...
Congenital Optimist
Only Slightly Bent