SpaceX launches climate satellite Jason-3 but botches return landing

SpaceX’s unmanned Falcon 9 rocket broke apart Sunday as it tried to land on a floating platform in the Pacific, marking the fourth such failure in the company’s bid to recycle rockets.

However, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched on Jason-3 satellite into low-Earth orbit from the launch pad of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Somewhat tongue-in-cheek he continued saying that this time “the [damaged] pieces are bigger” despite the rocket having exploded as it toppled over. The company didn’t immediately indicate the cause of the mishap, or the extent of the damage to the Falcon 9 rocket’s returning first stage. The first two attempts at this experimental landing ended with fantastic explosions as the Falcon 9 rocket failed to stick the landing just right.

Southern California-based SpaceX successfully launched a weather satellite into space Sunday, but the rocket was damaged after a failed attempt by controllers to successfuly land the missile on a barge 200 miles off the California coast, officials said.

Jason-3’s launch was originally scheduled for August 2015 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Founder Elon Musk tweeted that the rocket’s speed at touchdown was OK, “but a leg lockout didn’t latch, so it tipped over after landing”.

However, no other company has attempted the ocean landing that SpaceX is trying to achieve.

Nasa Washington associate administrator for science John Grunsfeld said: “Jason-3 is a prime example of how our nation leverages Nasa’s expertise in space and scientific exploration to help address critical global challenges in collaboration with NOAA and our worldwide partners”.

“This is one of the most important yardsticks we have for human-caused climate change”, Willis said, adding that heat, plus runoff water from melting ice sheets, causes ocean levels to climb.

SpaceX looked to pop open the champagne bottles with a successful landing at sea following its landmark ground landing last month.

The mission itself went of without a hitch, and the satellite, dubbed Jason-3, was placed into orbit exactly as planned.

The Jason-3 is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s newest tool for monitoring global sea surface height.