SpaceX Launches Load to ISS, Successfully Tests Falcon 9 Over Water 125
mosb1000 (710161) writes "SpaceX is reporting that they've successfully landed the first stage of their CRS3 Falcon 9 rocket over the Atlantic Ocean today. This is potentially a huge milestone for low-cost space flight." In another win for the company, as the L.A. Times reports, SpaceX also has launched a re-supply mission to the ISS.
Re:Not sure about the recovery test (Score:4, Insightful)
The purpose of recovering it is to cut costs. Even if the stage becomes reusable, how much it is actually going to save is still an open question. In such case, landing it offshore, and transporting is not going to help with the costs.
SpaceX is audacious, but I am sure they will take all precautions and won't attempt to land it in the pad, unless they are highly confident that it will work.
What a shame. (Score:0, Insightful)
Thousands of years of scientific development, and the popular media and its howling audience gives the credit to one banker and the people he took out of other established organisations to stick his brand name on.
The beginning of the end of space exploration was when Khrushchev decided that competing against the US was a better tactic than discovery for its own sake. The second blow was Reagan, whose new marketing-directed NASA paved the way for the Challenger disaster. Teat-sucker SpaceX is the final nail in the coffin.
The West and the Soviet Union did more between 1940 and 1970 than they'll do for a long time, and if we really need to see advancement, we're now going to have to look to India and China. China in particular understands that progress comes not from the Invisible Hand, but from directing your resources to a primary goal of human development. (If you doubt this, just look at every other facet of modern American life and economy.)
Re:What a shame. (Score:3, Insightful)
Perhaps, but NASA made their own bed to lie in half a century ago when they decided their launch systems should be made of the most pork possible. No need to scoff at private enterprise being more efficient and agile than government.
Basically, this is a story about SpaceX continued success and the fact they are pushing technological boundaries. However, you managed to squint at this and see nothing but squalor, failure, and abrogation of duty, plus a hint of civilization collapse.
You seem to be a person who delights in finding the cloud behind every silver lining. This is odd for me to say, because I'm a goddamn engineer and no one has ever accused me of not being cynical.