SpaceX boat hopes to revolutionize how we launch and recycle rockets

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - It’s a boat with an important role for space. It’s arrived on Monday in Port Canaveral. It’s called Mr. Steven and it belongs to Space X.

The company hopes it will revolutionize how we launch and recycle rockets.

Space blogger Dr. Ken Kremer says he’s been following Mr. Steven’s progress online. He says the practice runs’ haven't netted the kind of results Space X was hoping for.  

When the four arms are in position and the net is in place, Mr. Steven is a basket on the water, that can catch reusable rocket parts.

“They’ve almost succeeded a few times, they’ve come real close, and the last time was extremely close, they just missed it, so hopefully they’ll be able to do that,” Kremer said.

Each payload fairing that Mr. Steven attempts to catch is about 6 million dollars.

Sea water is highly corrosive and might damage the parts, but if Mr. Steven can’t make the catch, Elon Musk says his team could just try to hose the parts off and reuse them.

Nevertheless, Mr. Steven is s boat under some pressure.