Wait a minute.... Did Elon Musk just hint SpaceX will fly its victorious Falcon 9 rocket a second time?! We knew reusability was the long-term plan, but if they pull it off on the first attempt it’ll bump their celebrations up to a whole new level.
We were all impressed when SpaceX literally landed spot-on its giant X
This probably means that the rocket is ready for test firing here on the ground to analyze what happened to it, then shoving it into a museum. Yet the phrasing is just ambiguous enough to raise eyebrows far too late on New Year’s Eve to get formal comment on what’s happening next. Will the rocket suffer from first-astronaut syndrome, doomed like Yuri Gagarin to be earthbound forever more
Either way, the excellent condition of the rocket is certainly worthy of celebration. Congratulations, SpaceX, and may all your rockets come home safely.
Top image: Falcon 9 rocket first stage returned from space, landed safely, and back in the hanger demonstrating what “normal wear” looks like on a rocket’s paint job. Credit: SpaceX
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