SpaceX Lifts Two of Its Own Prototype Satellites Into Orbit

SpaceX successfully launched its 18th consecutive commercial payload into orbit on Thursday, but this time two of the company’s prototype communications satellites went along for the ride.

And minutes after blastoff, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., the formal name of billionaire Elon Musk’s company, came close to pulling off another engineering coup: using a specially outfitted boat to “catch” part of the rocket’s returning nose cone.