SpaceX has successfully launched the Jason-3 satellite into space but when it attempted to land it exploded.
The ending of this rocket story maybe explosive but the start was clean. The launch of the satellite from SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center was described as flawless.
It lifted off at 1:42PM ET in California at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. The Jason-3 Project monitors changes in the Earth's ocean via satellite observations. It enables scientists to track the rise in sea level as well as climate changes which can be helpful in tracking the weather. Weather forecasts can benefit from this technology as it includes tracking hurricanes and El Nino and La Nina patterns.
On an industrial level, the ocean data collected can help fisheries and ocean-dependent industries.
Jason-3 would not have been possible without a global partnership between Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
However the rocket was successfully launched, its landing was the exact opposite. According to SpaceX, the rocket had successfully landed but it was 1.3 meters away from its target and one of the landing legs failed. The glitch caused the rocket to fall on its side and explode. The rocket was meant to land at a drone ship instead of the ground because it all has to do with the velocity of the launch.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted a response via Instagram that describes the issue:
The lockout collet doesn't latch on one the four legs, causing it to tip over post landing. Root cause may have been ice buildup due to condensation from heavy fog at liftoff.
The company still plans to continue the project and is confident that on the next launch, they'll get the landing right, reports indicated.
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