SpaceX is going to try a revolutionary rocket landing this Sunday - here's how to watch
The landing attempt will happen minutes after SpaceX launches one of their Falcon 9 rockets out of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at exactly 10:21 am ET.
NASA will begin streaming the event live at 9 am ET and will offer real-time coverage of the launch. The live feed is provided at the end of this post.
For news and video of whether the landing was a success, stay tuned for updates following the launch.
The rocket will be carrying a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft loaded with over 4,000 pounds of supplies, including food, water, and science experiments, for the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. One of the science experiments includes instruments that will allow astronauts to observe meteors penetrating Earth's atmosphere. It will be the first time anyone in space has ever studied meteors like this before.
After the Falcon 9 has transported Dragon to space, it will detach from the spacecraft and navigate its way back - using GPS tracking - to a football-field-sized platform, shown below, floating miles offshore in the Atlantic.
All eyes will be on this rocket
If SpaceX is successful on Sunday they will have marked a revolutionary breaking point in history: If the rocket safely lands on the platform, it should be in good condition to be reused for a second launch - the first time any rocket will have been fully recovered for reuse.
(NASA used to reuse some of the rocket parts that launched their space shuttles in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. However, these parts were retrieved after parachuting into the ocean and were water logged and needed time for repairs. With SpaceX's version, the rocket would remain completely dry and should, in theory, be reusable within 24 hours after it's retrieved.)
This idea of fully-reusable rockets could usher in a new age of future, affordable, commercial spaceflight. The key to this development centers on rockets that can be launched and re-launched - eventually even within the same day - similar to how planes are operated today.
SpaceX's first two landing attempts took place in January and April of this year. Although both ended with a fiery explosion, April's attempted landing was a significant improvement on the first: The rocket actually hovered over the platform before touching down.
The only problem was the rocket fell on its side after landing and exploded upon impact. January's landing attempt basically ended with the rocket crashing into the platform without any hovering or soft touchdown. These explosions take a toll on the platform, but after some scrubbing and sweeping, the platform is ready for another go.
Right now, SpaceX is one of two companies in the world who has launched a rocket designed for reuse. The other company is Blue Origin - established by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Neither SpaceX or Blue Origin have yet to succeed in their endeavor, but if SpaceX manages it this Sunday, it'll truly be a game-changer.
NASA will start livestreaming the launch at 9 am ET, Sunday, June 28. Here's the live feed:
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream