SpaceX has done it. Elon Musk’s rocket startup just successfully launched and then landed a Falcon 9 rocket some 10 minutes later. This comes after several attempts that ended in fiery explosions.
The rocket was carrying 11 satellites destined for low-Earth orbit. It’s important to note, this rocket isn’t a one-off affair, or a small rocket like the Blue Origin New Shepard or SpaceX Grasshopper. This Falcon 9 carried important cargo and landing the rocket booster was the secondary goal of the mission.
The 15-story Falcon 9 is a serious rocket, capable of reaching 124 miles up thanks to the 1.5 million pounds of thrust produced by its 9 engines. It’s designed to take serious payloads into serious orbit. The Blue Origin is capable of taking a few humans 62 miles into the sky — which is still great.
SpaceX previously attempted to land a Falcon 9 on a robotic barge. This time around, the company opted for terra firma and a massive concrete landing pad.
The Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket. Only the large, booster stage landed today. The remaining capsule contains the payload, which will not be reused.
This was the sixth launch of a Falcon 9 rocket in 2015. – Techcrunch