Elon Musk: Landed Falcon 9 rocket is ready to be used again

SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 rocket that recently landed back on Earth after launch appears to have done so without damage. According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the rocket is now ready to take off again, although no new launch is planned.

Musk posted a photo of the Falcon 9 rocket in question on Instagram. The vehicle was involved in the Orbcomm-2 launch and had to return to Earth as a test. It was the first time that SpaceX successfully landed the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket after several failed attempts. Further investigation shows that the vehicle did not suffer any damage during the landing, which means that it can be concluded that the procedure was a success.

Because no problems have been discovered, the Falcon 9 can be used immediately for a new launch, according to Musk. However, this is unlikely to happen, as the SpaceX chief executive has indicated that it wants to keep the rocket grounded. Because it is the first time that a SpaceX rocket has landed on Earth, the Falcon 9 will probably get a place in a museum.

SpaceX isn’t the first to land a rocket back on Earth after takeoff. For example, a landing attempt by Blue Origin’s New Shepard was recently successful. However, this rocket cannot be used to launch cargo, such as those intended for the International Space Station or satellites, into orbit.