This Vine video shows the failed SpaceX rocket landing in all its glory

[Shawn Knight]

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has published images and video of his company’s Falcon 9 rocket attempting to land on a barge positioned in the Atlantic Ocean late last week. While the rocket did manage to find its target, it came in too fast and at a 45 degree angle which caused it to explode upon impact.

The fins on the side of the rocket malfunctioned (they ran out of hydraulic fluid) which is why it came in at an angle. As Musk noted on Twitter, the flames from the engine combined with the oxygen and remaining fuel caused an impressive explosion.

The rocket helped propel SpaceX’s fifth resupply mission to the International Space Station before the fateful impact. The Dragon capsule, carrying more than two tons of supplies, arrived safely at the ISS a couple of days later.

Ahead of the landing, Musk said there was a 50 / 50 chance that it’d be successful. Afterwards, the entrepreneur wasn’t too bummed about the incident, saying it was close but no cigar and added that it bodes well for the future. A positive outlook is always nice, eh?

SpaceX’s plan is to create a reusable rocket. If one can figure out how to effectively reuse rockets just like airplanes, the cost of access to space will be reduced by as much as a factor of a hundred, Musk claims.

Indeed, those kinds of savings could certainly revolutionize space travel.

The next rocket landing will take place within a few weeks and there will be way more hydraulic fluid on tap.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/59439-vine-video-shows-failed-spacex-rocket-landing-all.html

 

[TomSEA]

Pretty dang impressive they got that close!

 

[Uncle Al]

In the immortal words of Maxwell Smart "missed it by thaaaaaaat much"!

 

[RzmmDX]

Add smaller boosters to actually stabilize it for the landing?

And where is that giant parachute too?

 

[Alpha Gamer]

Michael Bay could learn a lot from this vid.

 

[davislane1]

Jimmy! Jimmy! I think we're coming in a bit to the left.

 

[9Nails]

"Rockets are tricky"

 

[drjekelmrhyde]

When did they hire Micheal Bay?

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Figuring out how to reuse a rocket is child's play as opposed to figuring out how to reuse your nuclear bomb after telling your enemy you want it back once it's done it's job.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Figuring out how to reuse a rocket is child's play as opposed to figuring out how to reuse your nuclear bomb after telling your enemy you want it back once it's done it's job.

Maybe they should use the nuclear bomb instead. Because if something can go wrong, it will and won't blow up.

 

[highlander84]

Absloutly amazing! IMO it's not a failure. It's a great first atempt!

 

[Uncle Al]

Seriously speaking .... Space-X has and is developing new approaches (no pun intended) to so many technologies that we are probably going to see quite a bit of improvement to the entire space program. I would be interested to see how quickly they could develop and implement a maned moon landing. They are indeed one of the #1 innovators of the day and certainly not afraid to take a few risks ... we certainly could use a few dozen more companies like this!

 

[Guest]

Demonstarte how to not.

 

[captaincranky]

Figuring out how to reuse a rocket is child's play as opposed to figuring out how to reuse your nuclear bomb after telling your enemy you want it back once it's done it's job.

Really! Just ask the Japanese about that.

Seriously speaking .... Space-X has and is developing new approaches (no pun intended) to so many technologies that we are probably going to see quite a bit of improvement to the entire space program.

I would like to point out to all you Musk groupies, that every attempt is conceived using other people's talents, and financed with practically everybody else's money

I would be interested to see how quickly they could develop and implement a maned moon landing.

Actually, the US already has that technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_landing

They are indeed one of the #1 innovators of the day and certainly not afraid to take a few risks ... we certainly could use a few dozen more companies like this!

No, it would make them", the greatest innovators of their time, had they done it prior to 1969.

And always remember boys and girls, "you don't get the medal, unless you stick the landing"...

 

[Guest]

"Actually, the US already has that technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_landing" - Cpt. Cranky

They don't ****ing use it though, do they? They're too busy playing with guns.

 

[captaincranky]

"Actually, the US already has that technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_landing" - Cpt. Cranky

They don't ****ing use it though, do they? They're too busy playing with guns.

And Elon Musk doesn't have to pay out social entitlements either, does he?

Besides, if Musk launched a moon mission on which everybody was killed, ,the tech reportage would still call it a "success".

As for the moon, we been there and done that, fifty years before the children here at TS, began to believe that Elon Musk invented science.

In the meantime, killing those who disagree with us and would harm us first, seems like an honest, respectable living if you ask me.

 

[davislane1]

"Actually, the US already has that technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_landing" - Cpt. Cranky

They don't ****ing use it though, do they? They're too busy playing with guns.

I'd like to know what possible gain is to be had over guns by interplanetary travel. That is, outside of establishing a DARPA-controlled death ray on the moon (in which case, how the hell is that cost effective?).

In the meantime, killing those who disagree with us and would harm us first, seems like an honest, respectable living if you ask me.

It isn't just honest. It's necessary. [Michael Bay soundtrack here]

 

[VitalyT]

Now I finally know what "Close but no cigar" means

 

[captaincranky]

Now I finally know what "Close but no cigar" means

Well, what I take away from it is, "Elon Musk's failures burn brighter than his successes"....

Or, waxing metaphorically, one might say, "it's better to explode a rocket, than curse the darkness".

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Two used bombs for a vintage B-29? It'll never happen.

It's in the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, but appears to be only the c0ckpit up to about the wing roots. The Smithsonian is on my bucket list, but I doubt I'll get there in time.....

If actually surprised to see that all what remains from that Superfortress.

 

[captaincranky]

The Smithsonian also fell heir to the SR-71 which set the coast to coast, (LA to NYC), speed record. The plane was retired after that run. It was being kept at Dulles field, and then I heard they were going to butcher it and put it inside the A & S museum proper.

The thought of that having happened is so depressing, I'm afraid to research it.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

The Smithsonian also fell heir to the SR-71 which set the coast to coast, (LA to NYC), speed record. The plane was retired after that run. It was being kept at Dulles field, and then I heard they were going to butcher it and put it inside the A & S museum proper.

The thought of that having happened is so depressing, I'm afraid to research it.

There were a few SR-71's Blackbirds made but there was only one Enola Gay B29.

 

[captaincranky]

There were a few SR-71's Blackbirds made but there was only one Enola Gay B29.

Well, to see that happen to either aircraft rises to the level of a crime.

That being said, the only thing that distinguishes the Enola Gay from pretty much any other "off the rack B-29", was its deadly mission. Many other B-29s even had nose art which was a quite a bit more lascivious. (Although much of it perhaps a bit too busty for my taste). I do think they had to mod the bomb release rack due to the size of the weapon.

OTOH, an SR-71's average mission consisted of checking up on the Russians to see how they were doing, while the pilot and REO thumbed their noses at the Russian SAMS that could never quite catch up to them...

A cold war game of high stakes cat and mouse, as it were. Good fun.

 

[stewi0001]

At least it was an awesome failure and no one got hurt!

 

[cliffordcooley]

"awesome failure"

Placing bets on the loser are we? lol

That's borderline to describing both ends of the stick. Which end are we describing again?