Also: FIFI Returns, Aero-Calendar, UAV Downing, MIA Vietnam Airman Found, Deer Jet, Pan Am Academy, UAV/Drone Pro Course

 

On Friday afternoon of last week, SpaceX did it again. After a successful launch of their Falcon Nine rocket carrying a Thaicom 8 communications satellite, they successfully returned the booster to a platform floating on the ocean. SpaceX has now demonstrated their ability to do this three consecutive times within the last 2 months. According to reports, the satellite was carried to its geostationary transfer orbit which required the first stage to perform a series of engine burns to bring it back to Earth on target. Because this launch and recovery occurred in the daytime, the videos clearly show the pinpoint accuracy of its touchdown. We are sad to say that the airshow community has suffered its second tragedy in nearly as many weeks as long-time Warbird pilot and industry good-guy, Bill Gordon, did not survive the ditching of the American Airpower Museum P-47 he was flying last Friday. When the U.S. bailed out of its manned spaceflight program about four years ago with the grounding of our fleet of space shuttle aircraft, our government elected to pay the Russians to provide our astronauts transportation to and from the international space station. Now, according to TASS, the official Russian news agency, the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos has said ‘nyet’ to extending their transportation agreement past its expiration date in 2018. All this -- and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!!