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by AliCollins 3653 days ago
Did the "experimental landing" work this time?
6 comments

No clear word yet. Feed froze as usual and whatever was on the screen was covered in black smoke.

I did see something upright though, so who knows.

Meanwhile, for anyone looking for one of the most epic moments: https://youtu.be/L0bMeDj76ig?t=29m28s

No. It appeared briefly on the deck, but Elon tweeted it was a RUD, and that they'll be releasing video once they get access to it later today.
I love the commentator's wording: "We'll see whether yes, we landed, or no, we've got more experimental data."
Feed died.

I hope the next-gen of communications satellites improves the broadband-over-satellite situation.

If only there was a company in this day and age that is launching satellites often and at lower cost. :)

Apparently the broadband out there is great. The issue isn't lack of satellites or speed.

The issue is that when you have a Merlin 1D (or 3) firing directly at a mobile platform, it's going to shake violently. And when you have sensitive equipment on that platform shaking, you're going to have a satellite misalignment and signal cut outs while the lock is reacquired.

Considering this is a pretty unique scenario (I would imagine 99% of satellite internet connections don't have rockets landing on them), I doubt it's a high priority to resolve somehow.

On the telecast they just said it appears the vehicle was lost.
Seems like one engine was low on thrust:

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/743097337782763521

It's not clear. The video feed cut off at landing. There was a lot of smoke, and possibly a standing rocket.