SpaceX has already launched several dozen of its Falcon rockets to space, delivering satellites to orbit and powering resupply missions to the International Space Station.
In some ways, SpaceX's next launch, set for next month, will be business as usual, but with one important difference -- Elon Musk's private aerospace company will attempt to return a portion of its next launched rocket to a small platform in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
More than just hitting a target, engineers are attempting to softly land the bottom portion of the rocket in an upright position, to avoid damage and allow the rocket phase to be reused. It's not the first time SpaceX has attempted the feat. The latest effort follows a string of failures -- or learning experiences.
"Unfortunately, it sort of sat there for several seconds then tipped over and exploded," Musk told attendees of an MIT-hosted forum earlier this fall -- speaking about his company's latest attempt. "It's as tall as a 14-story building. When a 14-story building falls over, it's quite a belly flop."
But Musk and his engineering team think they're getting closer. They predict a 50 percent rate of success for their next launch attempt, scheduled for January 6 or 7. Pretty good odds considering the difficulty of the feat.
The rocket must not only slow down sufficiently -- breaking with its booster rockets as it speeds back through the atmosphere -- and land upright, it must also hit a moving target. The target barge is 300 feet long by 170 feet wide, and is unanchored. It's engines must work to keep it floating in roughly the same spot as it awaits the rocket.
If successful, the launch -- which was originally scheduled for mid-December -- could signal a new era of profitability for SpaceX, whose business model is counting on reusable rockets sooner rather than later.