Re: Strange definition of success (Score 1)

You seem to mix up two things here - the Dragon Spacecraft is currently in orbit - that is the part that is going to return with either cargo or crew back to earth at the end of the mission. What landed/tried to land today is the first stage of the ROCKET, not the mission spacecraft. The rockets so far have always been throwaway and crashed in the ocean or somewhere with low population after they boosted the second stage with the spacecraft. the goal here is now to recover the first stage and reuse it - something that has never been done by anyone, be it NASA or anyone else. NASA returned and reused the boosters on the space shuttle via chute and splashdown, but they had to be extensively rebuilt each time due to salt water corrosion. spaceX is currently doing something amazing that has never been done before with so much ambition, that's why everyone is looking forward to them succeeding.