SpaceX is once again going to put on the Falcon 9 offshore platform

At the end of last year, there was what many were waiting for - the company SpaceX regained first stage of its launch vehicle Falcon 9 to Earth. Step managed to land, but her condition allows you to use the Falcon 9 second. Anyway, it said Elon Musk. Now the company is going to try once again to put a rocket on the marine platform. Up to this point SpaceX twice tried to do this, and both times - unsuccessfully .

For this launch plan to use the Falcon 9 v 1.1, this is the last instance of this version of the available stock. Plant managed an updated version of the missile, with enhanced traction. According to the company, landing on the sea allows you to use less fuel.

It's not so much in the sea, so that the landing offshore platform SpaceX is located far enough away from the starting point. Therefore, the rocket will need to overcome a smaller distance when landing on an offshore platform than when landing on the ground near the launch point. Therefore, for the landing platform will need less fuel.

However, to sit on the sea is more difficult than on land. Firstly, the platform itself has limited dimensions. Secondly, the aqueous medium is not static, such as the surface of the earth. Because of this, previous attempts to put the Falcon 9 on an offshore platform failed. Perhaps now the company will succeed, and then we can talk about the next major achievement.

The next launch is scheduled for January 17. At this time, the Falcon 9 launch a satellite into orbit NASA Jason-3, which will be to monitor the Earth's oceans. This launch will be carried out with the US Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Usually launches carried out from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Here it was successfully planted the first stage of the launch vehicle.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/268958/