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Rocket Landing At Sea Was 'Close But No Cigar'

Published January 10, 2015 at 7:49 AM EST

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

SpaceX's unmanned mission this morning both succeeded and struck out. It launched on schedule from Cape Canaveral at 4:47 a.m. on a mission to send cargo to the International Space Station.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: One, zero, and lift off of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon, continuing...

SIMON: The cargo capsule separated from the booster rocket. The next part of the plan was unprecedented - to land that used booster rocket safely and softly on a barge floating in the ocean some 200 miles off the coast of Florida. Now, that's not like throwing a softball. SpaceX compared their challenge to trying to balance a rubber broomstick on your hand in the middle of a windstorm. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, tweeted close, but no cigar this time. Bodes well for the future though. SpaceX wants the first-age rocket to land on the barge safely so they can reuse it in future launches. The cargo-filled capsule, however, is safe and sound and right on target to reach the space station on Monday. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

Donate