SpaceX's highly-anticipated rocket launch on Saturday started on high energy, but ended in a dud. The Falcon 9 rocket mission lifted off on Saturday at Cape Canaverale, bringing a Dragon supply ship. SpaceX is one of the two companies that does space shipments for NASA.
The Falcon 9 rocket successfully delivered groceries and Christmas presents to the six astronauts who have made the International Space Station their home. The top half of the multistage rocket (Dragon) made it to the ISS on Monday, the Guardian reported. After circling the ISS for two days, a robot arm maneuvered by station commander Butch Wilmore grabbed the capsule, which contains 5,000 pounds of the precious cargo.
However, the SpaceX rocket launch was considered a partial failure when the lower end of the rocket failed to land on the floating pad. The Register said that the lower stage should have descended gradually under its own power.
Musk tweeted after the crash landing, "Rocket made it to drone spaceport ship, but landed hard. Close, but no cigar this time. Bodes well for the future tho."
Musk said that because of the crash landing, the team had to replace its support equipment.
SpaceX also admitted that the team was unable to capture of the lower part's landing as it was too dark and foggy. However, you can check photos of the Falcon 9 landing fiasco via Spaceflightnow.com.
It has been reported that Musk is planning to do another rocket launch weather permitting on January 29. The rocket will be carrying the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) or GoreSat of NASA. GoreSat is an early-warning device initiated by former US Vice President Al Gore against mass ejections from the nearby Sun.
You can check out videos of the Falcon 9 launch and Dragon's capture and arrival at the ISS via SpaceX's website here.
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