The Evolution of SpaceX’s Booster Recovery Droneships

For years, we have watched SpaceX land mainly Falcon 9 but also Falcon Heavy boosters on drone ships. So much so that today the process is not even considered a big deal to a lot of people because of how common its become. However, it wasn’t always like this, and in the time since SpaceX started operating these floating landing platforms, a lot has changed to improve the technology and make this process more viable. Between improved communication, the Octagrabber, navigation system upgrades, and physical changes, the drone ships have been busy. At the same time, both the Falcon 9 and Heavy are launching more frequently than ever before. This combination is the backbone of current SpaceX reusability and helps the company cut down on costs and increase launch cadence. Even with over 100 drone ship landings to date, new missions utilizing these landing platforms like never before are planned to happen. Here I will go more in-depth into the evolution of SpaceX’s drone ships, recent changes that affect their future, what to expect in the coming months, and more. For more space-related content check out - Credit: SpaceX - Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 0:57 - The Start of Droneships 4:10 - Upgrades & Future