SpaceX fails in its maneuver to recover some of its last rocket

(CNNMoney) – SpaceX failed in its last attempt to save money to recover some of its latest rocket.

After launching this Wednesday morning, the company again tried to land the nose cone of the rocket in a boat inhabited in the Pacific Ocean. But SpaceX confirmed that it was impossible and the high winds at sea were the determining factor in the mission's failure.

However, the central mission was a success. The Falcon 9 rocket deployed 10 satellites of the Iridium communications company in orbit.

The conical nose is located at the top of the rocket and serves as a shield for the satellites at launch. Once the rocket is in space, it splits in two and falls. After most launches, the conical nose plummets to Earth, where the ocean becomes its cemetery.

The goal of SpaceX is to safely recapture this piece before it hits the Pacific, with the hope of restoring it, using it in a future mission and reducing the business costs.

The shipment, recovery and reuse of parts of its rockets is the central plan of SpaceX to keep flights cheaper than its competitors. While other companies discarded their rockets after the mission, SpaceX sought to develop parts that could make several trips in space.

The company has already recovered the lower part of the rocket which gives the aircraft its initial momentum at takeoff. accounts for about 60% of the cost of a new Falcon 9 rocket, said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

SpaceX worked hard to recover the slender nose. This part has been equipped with a kind of parachute and an onboard navigation system with the function of guiding it to a safe harbor.

SpaceX also entered into an agreement with a shipping company based in Louisiana to use an oil supply vessel called Mr. Steven. The ship is equipped with a giant net whose objective is to capture the nose of the cone before it falls to the surface of the ocean. The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The network put in place with Mr. Steven has been improved since the most recent attempt to recover this coin in May. The company said in a tweet that the new network is four times larger, in order to offer the room a bigger landing goal.

SpaceX said the ship faced strong winds on Wednesday. The crew that was on board could see the nose cone, but did not manage to catch it.

The launch of this Wednesday was mission number 14 of 2018. The company plans to make 30 launches before the end of the year, which could mark the most active year of SpaceX until the end of the year. ;now.