Los Angeles-based SpaceX on Monday successfully landed the first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral after lofting 11 communications satellites into orbit.
The historic landing promises to dramatically lower the cost of space travel, and also signaled SpaceX’s successful return to flight after one of its rockets exploded in June.
Seconds after the Falcon 9 booster landed, video from SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne showed cheering worker shouting “USA…USA…USA.”
The primary mission of the launch was to deliver a 11-satellite array for the ORBCOMM communications company. All satellites were successfully placed into orbit.
Until Monday’s landing, it was standard practice for rockets to crash into the ocean after launch, requiring entirely new equipment for every flight. SpaceX will be able to refurbish and reuse the booster that landed.
Last month, SpaceX, which has sent unmanned supply ships to the International Space Station, was awarded a contract from NASA to launch a manned mission to the station. It’s Dragon capsule is being re-designed to carry astronauts.
SpaceX and Boeing were each awarded contracts for the manned flights — replacing the retired space shuttle program — but the flights likely will not occur until at least late 2017.
