SpaceX rocket launch

[reddoss]

Just watched to launch on its mission to the ISS on the web.

It will be interesting to see if the first stage of the rocket makes it on to the barge off the coast of Florida. It could make space flight a bit cheaper if it does.

[long_arms]

Sounds like the First stage certainly made it onto the Barge. Unfortunately the landing was too hard.
Not that it matters this time, incredible that they returned it and hit a relatively small target! Future is here. 

Elon live tweets the launches so delivered the 1st stage news there. 

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/553855109114101760

and

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/553857574005915648

[bob1957]

Don't understand why they don't use parachutes to slow landing speed into the water and then use flotation equipment to keep it on the surface until recovered, along the lines of the Space Shuttle SRB's. Unless there's a problem with water ingress into engines etc, but surely that could be designed out?

[frugal]

I would imagine that the end goal is to be able to land back at the same spaceport that you took off from. However until they prove that they can do that without smashing it into infrastructure they need to have the rocket come back down over the water.