Space Commerce

SpaceX Puts Jason-3 In Orbit and Almost Lands First Stage On A Barge

By Keith Cowing

January 17, 2016

Filed under commercial space, SpaceRef, SpaceX

SpaceX Puts Jason-3 In Orbit and Almost Lands First Stage On A Barge — SpaceX Launches Jason-3

NASA

The Jason-3 Satellite was successfully place in orbit today by a Falcon 9. However while that rocket’s first stage landed within 1.3 meters of its target on the barge leg #3 did not lock properly.
SpaceX plans to release additional information on this landing attempt shortly. SpaceX made a successful landing of a Falcon 9 first stage last month in Florida after several prior and unsuccessful attempts on a barge.

Well, at least the pieces were bigger this time! Won't be last RUD, but am optimistic about upcoming ship landing. pic.twitter.com/w007TccANJ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 17, 2016

First stage approaches center of landing droneship in Pacific pic.twitter.com/lI3q6LnwVP

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 18, 2016

Falcon lands on droneship, but the lockout collet doesn't latch on one the four legs, causing it to tip over post landing. Root cause may have been ice buildup due to condensation from heavy fog at liftoff.

A video posted by Elon Musk (@elonmusk) on Jan 17, 2016 at 7:07pm PST

Jason-3, an international mission led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will help continue U.S.-European satellite measurements of global ocean height changes.

Keith Cowing

SpaceRef co-founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

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