Every time SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket returns to Earth, it crashes heavily into the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a crude but effective way to cushion the rocket’s landing. SpaceX wants to make the Falcon 9’s return to Earth more gentle by adding landing legs, which eventually could allow it to land on solid ground. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted a picture of the rocket with attached legs today, and stated in another tweet that the company will begin testing the feature next month. The Falcon 9 will continue to land in the ocean for now, but use the legs to soften the impact.
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