When is utilizing an Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (ASD) essential for a first stage landing?
Answer
When the required energy dictates the first stage must land hundreds of miles offshore.
For high-energy missions where the booster burns propellant longer during ascent, it lacks the necessary spare delta-v to slow down enough for a land landing, necessitating an offshore platform.
#Videos
Why SpaceX Chose To Land Off Coast of the Bahamas - YouTube
Why SpaceX Really Lands In The Ocean (Physics) - YouTube
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