SpaceX Deploys 2 Communications Satellites in Orbit, Fails to Land Rocket

Advanced rocket manufacturer SpaceX successfully launched on Wednesday two communications satellites into orbit from the Cape Canaveral US Air Force Station in Florida, but failed to land the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The rocket is carrying Eutelsat 117 West B, belonging to the French Eutelsat company, and Asia Broadcast Satellite’s ABS 2A communications satellites.

"Ascent phase and satellites look good, but booster rocket had a RUD [Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly] on drone ship," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter.

Ascent phase & satellites look good, but booster rocket had a RUD on droneship

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 15 июня 2016 г.

Looks like thrust was low on 1 of 3 landing engines. High g landings v sensitive to all engines operating at max.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 15 июня 2016 г.

Upgrades are underway to enable rocket to compensate for a thrust shortfall on one of the three landing engines, he added.

SpaceX communications chief Dex Torricke-Barton said the company was unable to recover the first stage after the landing failed.

The Eutelsat satellite will serve Latin American clients in the field of telecommunications and government services while the ABS-2A satellite will serve Africa, the Middle East, Russia, South Asia and Southeast Asia with video and communications services, according to Space X.

The company started experimenting with drone ship landings in 2015. After a successful drone ship landing in April, Musk said that the Falcon 9 booster could be used for 10-20 more flights, and that with the help of some modifications, the rocket could fly up to 100 times.

The technology of reusable boosters is expected to dramatically decrease costs for space missions.