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SpaceX will try to reuse rocket that achieved sea landing Free

12 April 2016
Los Angeles Times: On 8 April SpaceX’s Falcon 9 reusable rocket reached another milestone: After successfully launching the Dragon spacecraft on a resupply mission to the International Space Station, the first-stage rocket successfully landed on a barge floating in the Atlantic Ocean. Whereas previous flights have landed on solid ground, this is the first time the company achieved a sea landing. The rocket will now be shipped to Port Canaveral, Florida, where it will undergo a series of tests to make sure it was not damaged by the shaking and stress that occured during the journey. If the rocket passes all tests, it could be relaunched as early as June. To be commercially viable, however, future rockets will need to be ready for reuse within weeks rather than months, says SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. He expects each rocket will be capable of completing some 10 to 20 missions—and possibly as many as 100 missions—with some minor refurbishments.

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