spacetoday.net: SpaceX launches Dragon, just misses first stage landing

Posted: Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 3:05 PM ET (1905 GMT)
Falcon 9 v1.1 launch of CRS-6 (NASA/KSC)

A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched a Dragon cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station on Tuesday, but an attempt to land the first stage on a ship in the Atlantic fell just short of success. The Falcon 9 v1.1 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 4:10 pm EDT, one day late because of weather, and placed the Dragon cargo spacecraft into orbit ten minutes later. The Dragon is carrying two tons of supplies for the ISS nd is slated to arrive at the station Friday morning. SpaceX used the launch to make another attempt to land the first stage on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Video released by the company showed the stage touched down on the ship, but had enough horizontal velocity that it could not remain upright and toppled over, exploding. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted that a valve problem may have prevented a successful landing.