This video posted by Elon Musk shows SpaceX’s Falcon rocket booster very nearly landing on a tiny platform in the middle of the ocean
Disappointment all round at SpaceX HQ yesterday, when a rocket booster launched by the company didn't quite touch down properly on a pad – dubbed "Just Read the Instructions" thanks to the mantra printed on it – floating 50 miles out to sea.
The rocket booster, which had just come from launching an International Space Station supply ship carrying groceries and an "ISSpresso" maker, was bested by "excess lateral velocity", SpaceX founder Elon Musk said (which is, let's face it, something most people can empathise with after a couple of drinks…).
It's not the first time a SpaceX rocket booster hasn't quite made it. In January, another one hit the platform too hard and exploded.
Yesterday , SpaceX posted a video showing the booster's wonky final moments. Better luck next time…