SpaceX successfully launches and lands reused rocket

SpaceX has successfully launched and salvaged a previously used Falcon 9 rocket. Although SpaceX has managed to keep the rocket in eight previous launches, this is the first time that the space company has reused a copy.

The recycled portion of the Falcon 9 rocket is the first stage, which contains the Merlin 1D rocket engines. It was used in conjunction with a new second stage during its launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the night of Thursday to Friday. The goal was to launch the SES-10 communications satellite into orbit.

SpaceX used the same first stage in April last year to send a Dragon capsule to the International Space Station for resupply. As then, the space agency managed to successfully land the Falcon 9 on a sea platform. The core booster contains fold-out legs and a thruster system for this.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk spoke of a special day for the space industry: “It means you can launch and relaunch the most expensive part of the rocket, the orbit-class booster.” In the long run, he believes, it will mean a revolution in spaceflight. The nose cone, which protects the satellite during launch, was also successfully recovered. This $6 million component also includes its own thruster system and parachutes, and landed in the Atlantic Ocean.

It has long been SpaceX’s strategy to recycle rockets to reduce costs. The company previously held thirteen attempts to land missiles in a controlled manner; nine of them successfully reached platforms on Earth in one piece: six on a drone platform at sea, three at Cape Canaveral. In addition to SpaceX, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is recycling rockets. This company has already successfully landed rockets five times, although they did not reach the height of the SpaceX launches.