Chief Executive Elon Musk says SpaceX is constructing another drone ship, one that will help carry the load of more Falcon 9 launches — but also be available for tandem ocean landings far out at sea.

  • SpaceX building another ocean drone ship
  • New drone ship is called 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'
  • Drone ship will allow for tandem ocean landings
  • RELATED: Space Coast launch schedule

The new drone ship is named "A Shortfall of Gravitas," and will join the current one based at Port Canaveral.

The existing drone ship, dubbed "Of Course I Still Love You," was heavily damaged during last week's Falcon Heavy test flight. Two of three rocket boosters successfully landed in tandem on land.

But the center core booster, which was supposed to land on the drone ship, missed the target by about 100 meters and plunged into the water at 300 mph, taking out two of the platform's thrusters and "showering the ship with shrapnel," Musk said during a news conference after the Feb. 6 Falcon Heavy launch.

SpaceX's next Space Coast launch is set for 12:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.