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[b]SpaceX targeting ship landing of Jason-3 mission's Falcon 9 first stage[/b] SpaceX on Monday (Jan. 11) completed a full-duration static fire of its final Falcon 9 v1.1 first stage in preparation for its launch of NASA's Jason-3 ocean surface topography satellite from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The first stage engines fired for the planned duration of 7 seconds. An initial review of the data appeared to show a successful test, but will be followed by a more thorough data review on Tuesday. The launch is scheduled for 10:42 a.m. PST (1842 GMT) on Sunday (Jan. 17) from Space Launch Complex 4. After lofting the Falcon 9 rocket's second stage and Jason-3 payload to altitude, the spent first stage will separate and attempt a propulsive landing on SpaceX's autonomous spaceport drone ship. "Aiming to launch this weekend and (hopefully) land on our drone-ship," Elon Musk, SpaceX's CEO and chief technology officer, wrote on Twitter. "Ship landings needed for high velocity missions." If successful, the landing will mark only the second time SpaceX has recovered its rocket's first stage after the touchdown on Landing Zone 1 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Dec. 21. Although a similar pad has been under preparation at Vandenberg, SpaceX still requires its drone ships to recover future missions with heavy payloads or which are destined for high orbits, when the first stage's remaining fuel supply after separation will not be enough to fly back to land. SpaceX has attempted twice before to recover its Falcon 9's first stage using an ocean-going platform, but both tries ended with the loss of the rocket in the final moments.
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