December 21, 2015General sourceWell documented
A rocket lands itself
On the timeline · around December 21, 2015 ·
What happened
SpaceX's Falcon 9 delivered satellites to orbit, then flew its first stage back to a vertical landing at Cape Canaveral.
Why it matters
Reusable boosters collapsed the cost of reaching orbit and reset the industry's economics.
Sources
- Space.com. SpaceX lands Falcon 9 first stage after launch (2015) · General source