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> I could be wrong, but I though SpaceX catches its entire rocket (all stages) now with rafts/boats, doesn't it? Only some Falcon 9 launches recover the first
by mulmen 5y ago
> I could be wrong, but I though SpaceX catches its entire rocket (all stages) now with rafts/boats, doesn't it?
Only some Falcon 9 launches recover the first stage. For performance reasons sometimes the booster burns all fuel and crashes into the ocean. The second stage has never been recovered and no attempt has ever been made. Early concepts may have mentioned it but I don’t believe the capability even exists on current Falcon 9s.
Starship is an entirely different rocket which has never been launched from a booster nor recovered from orbit. That is the eventual goal but SpaceX is far from achieving it for anything approaching “all” launches.
- the_duke 5y ago> Only some Falcon 9 launches recover the first stage Almost all boosters are are recovered. Flights that need enough acceleration to make the landing impossible are extremely rare. Falcon 9 already provides more payload capacity than most sats need. I think some upcoming Falcon Heavy launches will expend the main booster though.
- mulmen 5y agoIf we are going to argue semantics the only thing that matters in this context is that less than all boosters attempt recovery.