SpaceX successfully launched 64 small satellites, including India’s ExseedSAT-1 in the company’s largest-ever “rideshare” mission on a twice-reused Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off at 10.34 am PST (00.02 am IST) from a California launchpad.
The reusable part of the Falcon 9 rocket — its first stage booster — returned to earth as planned, landing on SpaceX’s ‘Of Course I Still Love You!’ droneship, according to a live video of the flight.
However, the rocket’s payload fairing — an enclosure that covers and protects satellites during the intense heat and pressure in the first half of a launch — missed its landing net and ended up in the ocean.
“Falcon fairing halves missed the net, but touched down softly in the water,” Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, said on Twitter. He added that a boat was on the move to pick them up.
“Plan is to dry them out & launch again. Nothing wrong with a little swim,” Musk followed up in a subsequent tweet.
Falcon fairing halves missed the net, but touched down softly in the water. Mr Steven is picking them up. Plan is to dry them out & launch again. Nothing wrong with a little swim.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 3, 2018
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