Stars. Wobbly floaties. Woozy rolls.

You are bound to remember. (Rocket scientists did.) Summer pools, inflatable rafts, and a cool idea.

Toss that pretend floating island into the sparking-like-stars water.

Then run. Fast. Before the “No running!” whistles blew) with a great leap and less than graceful attempted landing onto the float. A successful splashdown – one without hitting pool side, or other kids – was a thing of wonder. Worth the lifeguard scowls.

And parents who said “If you bust that one, you’re not getting another” before they went back to reading their books.

Wow! Did you see me stick that perfect float landing? (1950’sDeutsche Fotothek/Saxon State Lib/SLUB/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Inspired by childs’ play, SpaceX’s reusable rocket uses the same technique – with a little new technology. 

Landing from a iffy-controlled fall onto a floating target – whether a kid at a pool or a rocket in the ocean – isn’t easy peasy.

Weather cooperating, SpaceX  plans to launch an unmanned Dragon space capsule to International Space Station powered by their Falcon 9 rocket.

This will be their third attempt to land a returning rocket on a barge. (Maybe paint Mickey Mouse on the barge instead of a “Land Here X”? Falcons can target a meal miles away. Channel that spirit animal.)

The first Falcon 9 crashed. (Remember how that little kid was in such a hurry to launch himself into the pool before the life guard could grab him but he slipped. Crashing, cement pool burns, and a bloody lip? Like that.)

The second Falcon 9 faced bad weather and high seas, so it splashed down for a water recovery. (There was always a big loud kid and his group at the pool that hated you. A soon as you’d leap into the air towards the raft, they would kick and splash up a storm so the raft would buck and dart out of place leaving you without the planned docking spot. Jeers and humiliation. Just the same. Exactly.)

“Did you see that geeky guy spin around trip over his own swim fins when we walked by? Don’t worry. His tooth only looks a bit loose. He thinks we care if he can land on that float or not. Let’s all look away at once when he starts running the next time.” (Flickr/freeparking/Commons.wikimedia.org

An “out-of-the-raft thinker”yourself  treading water trying to keep up with SpaceX?

• Watch the launch Tuesday @ 4:10 ET. Here or here.
• All the updated SpaceX news here. NASA’s SpaceX blog.
• Bad weather delays SpaceX rocket landing attempt, Dragon launch (Space.com)

SpaceX really shouldn’t be upset with their rocket recover battles. Landing on dancing waters is an ambitious plan.

Still sayin’. Feed the falcon brain and paint on a bunny or squirrel. (SpaceX’s ocean landing platform.Techcrunch)

Some can’t even manage ordinary landings on flat land holding still.

Monday an early United flight to Houston’s IAH airport got that sinking feeling as all wheels and landing gears ended up in the mud.

It was before dawn and terribly rainy. Sounds like they bumped down as usual, then were unable to get traction enough to hold it in the center of the runway, so it skied off into the mud.

And sat down just like a nervous bunny hill skier.

While at a tilt, no one hurt, but all luggage stuck inside (even 12 hours later)

Did I mention it was an early morning flight from Vegas?

Carefully avoiding rough landings. (USPD:pub.date/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Somebody has to say it “What happens in Vegas…….”

A little sleepy? Pre-dawn flight. Lack of sleep. Nothing else implied.

Some barely awake might have worried at first that the tilting plane aisle’s was caused by one last Bloody Mary at the airport.

Hopefully there was no permanent damage caused by mascara brushes or lipstick tubes.

• VIDEO. “United Airlines plane gets stuck at Bush IAH” Passengers talk. (KPRC/NBC local news. It’s been 12 hours. It’s still stuck. So is their luggage.)
• It is so not the pilot’s fault. Seriously. Maybe the plane just thought the grass was greener.

“Day after day, the same boring route crammed with self-centered passengers. Already stuck in a rut.”(image: @instragram:mrszargarpur)

The starry skies are friendly, it’s just the landings that are hard.

Dragons, falcons, and passengers know.

Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.

If anyone knows about splashdowns, it’s Esther Williams. Talks about extravaganzas.

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