SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets have been making headlines with their remarkable ability to launch and land multiple times. But have you ever wondered about the crucial infrastructure that makes this feat possible? One key aspect is the droneships stationed in the ocean. These floating platforms serve as landing sites for the returning first-stage Falcon 9 boosters when sea landings are required instead of returning to the launch site.

Discover the Hidden Heroes of SpaceX's Missions

SpaceX's Droneship Fleet

SpaceX operates three droneships - two in Florida for launches from the Kennedy Space Center and one in California for flights from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. These vessels have unique names that add a touch of creativity to the space exploration scene. They are named "Of Course I Still Love You", "Just Read The Instructions", and "A Shortfall of Gravitas".The "Just Read The Instructions" droneship reached a significant milestone in a December 2024 mission when it hosted its 100th successful landing. This was a remarkable achievement considering its initial setback. In 2016, during the Falcon 9 flight for the Jason-3 mission, the booster landed on the droneship but a problem with one of its landing legs caused it to tip over and explode. However, the damage was quickly repaired and the ship was back in action. The first successful landing for this vessel took place in January 2017 and since then, it has been used for missions launched from the East Coast.To date, the "Of Course I Still Love You" droneship has hosted the highest number of successful landings at 112, while the "A Shortfall of Gravitas" droneship has had 88 successful landings.After a booster lands on a SpaceX droneship, it is taken back to land where engineers conduct thorough inspections and refurbishments. This allows the booster to be reused instead of building a new one for each mission. Just this week, one of SpaceX's Falcon 9 boosters flew for a record 24th time, highlighting the efficiency and cost-saving benefits of this reusability approach. By reusing boosters, SpaceX can make its satellite deployment services more affordable and also provide cost savings for NASA's crew and cargo flights to the International Space Station.

The Netflix series The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On has been creating quite a buzz with its third season. On December 4th, the show debuted, and within just four episodes, fans were treated to a shocking event involving two couples. In episode 4, Chanel and Micah, along with Dave and Vanessa, left the experiment without any prior notice. Producers revealed through a title card that the foursome had "secretly met off camera" earlier that day but were caught packing by surveillance cameras that evening. Nick and Mariah, who were paired with different couples, expressed their disappointment in their respective confessionals. This unexpected turn of events left the cast and viewers alike in shock.

Creator's Perspective on the Couples and Their Departure

When asked about the general feeling towards the couples heading into the season, Chris Coelen shared that while one might have opinions about where they might end up, the key is that they have a real question about getting married, which is incredibly relatable. Regarding the two couples that left, he emphasized that such things are unpredictable and not something that can be anticipated. It was an unexpected twist that no one could have foreseen.When the couples left, Coelen was on the ground during The Choice and then flew back to L.A. He received a phone call informing him of what was happening and was left to figure out the next steps. He expects the unexpected and has seen similar situations in previous seasons.

Internal Conversations and the Impact on Other Participants

After the couples' exit, there were internal conversations within the production team. Coelen stated that they were never considering scrapping the season as it is fascinating to document whatever happens. For the other participants, seeing their fellow couples leave can be upsetting, but they are always supportive of people's choices.

Reaching Out to the Couples and Nick and Mariah

The production team did reach out to the couples who left, but Micah did not get on the phone. Dave, Vanessa, and Chanel were spoken to, and it was clear that they did not want to participate anymore. Regarding Nick and Mariah, an honest conversation was had with them. They felt abandoned as they didn't have the opportunity to interact with their trial marriage partners. All options were put on the table, but they were never pushed to do anything.

The Emotional Journey of Nick and Sandy

The situation between Sandy and Nick developed quickly. Nick was very upset when Vanessa left and then realized he was alone. He chose to introspect but was disappointed when he saw Sandy having a different experience. His actions of going to Sandy's place and begging her to leave were understandable given the circumstances.

Producer's Approach and Preventive Measures

The production team is not filming 24/7, but they are always in touch with the participants. They believe in simulating a real marriage experience by allowing the participants to have phones and contact their exes. Regarding preventing similar incidents in the future, Coelen speculates that people get nervous and don't want to see things through, which might lead to them leaving.The first five episodes of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On season 3 are now streaming on Netflix, with new batches dropping each Wednesday until December 18.