The Falcon 9 touches down on the launchpad. (Credit: SpaceX) A month after Jeff Bezos’ aeronautics company Blue Origin successfully landed a rocket back on earth after reaching the edge of space, Elon Musk's SpaceX pulled off an even more impressive feat with its own rocket design. The spaceflight company launched its Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Monday evening, delivering a payload of 11 Orbcomm satellites into orbit. But the real achievement occurred roughly ten minutes later when the craft descended from the heavens to touch down safely on a launch pad several miles away. [embed]https://youtu.be/O5bTbVbe4e4[/embed]
The successful launch and subsequent landing proved that persistence yields rewards: The company's previous flight in June ended in flames after a strut failed shortly after launch, causing the rocket to explode. If successful, the ill-fated Falcon 9 would have delivered supplies to the International Space Station. Monday's launch, initially scheduled ...
