SpaceX has been having an incredible run of rocket launches lately—the most notable part is that it’s been successfully landing its rockets on a barge in the ocean. Not easy. Today, it will attempt one of its most complicated landings yet. Let’s watch and see what happens at 5:40pm ET tonight.
Before both of its two previous, successful drone ship landings on the Of Course I Still Love You barge, SpaceX predicted that the rockets would come close to hitting their mark, but that they wouldn’t stick it. This time around, the company is describing the landing as merely “challenging.”
This Falcon 9 launch will be sending THAICOM8, a commercial communications satellite, into a 38,500 km geostationary orbit. The rocket will be coming back in for a landing very fast and incredibly hot. This coupled with the difficulties posed by a new, experimental landing pattern mean that the chances of a third successful landing remain uncertain.
Watch with us right here.
Update 6:10 p.m.: SpaceX has pushed back the launch to 7:35 p.m. tonight.
Update 7:05 p.m.: Due to what Elon Musk is describing as a “tiny glitch” in the engine actuator, SpaceX pushed the launch back until tomorrow night. You can watch it here with us on Friday at 5:40 p.m EDT.
Update 5:33 p.m.: It’s Friday!