What distinguishes the fate of a stage that executes a splashdown versus one that successfully lands on a drone ship?
Answer
It cannot typically be recovered for immediate refurbishment due to corrosive damage and impact stress
Hardware that settles on the seabed after an uncontrolled splashdown faces severe challenges from salt water and impact forces, preventing reuse, whereas hardware landing upright on a barge is the economic justification for recovery.
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