SpaceX’s Falcon 9 reusable rocket makes a ideal vertical landing

On June 28, a failed steel strut caused SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket to explode while on an (unmanned) resupply mission to the ISS. This video, which SpaceX released Tuesday, shows the vertical landing from the vantage point of a helicopter hovering nearby.

The Falcon-9 11 communications satellites were despatched by rocket booster before returning to an erect position at Cape Canaveral.

The landing of the rocket was officially only a secondary test objective after deploying the satellites, but it’s a big accomplishment for SpaceX, proving that their plan for a reusable rocket really works. Once it leaves Earth’s atmosphere, the first stage separates after its nine rockets burn for around 162 seconds with 1.5 million pounds of thrust.

Miriam Kramer contributed reporting.

When SpaceX made the first ever “land landing” of their Falcon 9 rocket booster on Monday night, social media was flooded with footage of the event and with congratulations to Elon Musk and his entire team.

On the SpaceX webcast, one person said it was like “launching a pencil over the Empire State Building, having it reverse, come back down, and land on a shoebox on the ground during a windstorm”.

Creating reusable rockets is important for lowering the cost of space travel, which could make space tourism and a trip to Mars more feasible. There is no denying the fact that bringing it back and then landing it right was something that many thought was impossible.

During an exciting 20-minute launch, landing, and satellite deployment, the gathered crowd at mission control cheered at every successful stage of the mission.

The company has previously attempted the feat three times, coming close to landing on a bull’s-eye on a floating barge.

“Welcome back, baby!” CEO Elon Musk tweeted after the rocket touched down.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off over Cocoa Beach, Fla., at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The successful landing could have a huge impact on future space travel.