WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - After several unsuccessful attempts, it is a moment for Elon Musk and his SpaceX team to bask in the glory of an eventual success. SpaceX has successfully launched and landed a Falcon 9 rocket on Monday evening.
Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit.
The Dragon spacecraft carries cargo in the spacecraft's pressurized capsule and unpressurized trunk, which can also accommodate secondary payloads. In the future, Dragon will carry astronauts in the pressurized capsule as well.
Done for the customer ORBCOMM Inc., Falcon 9 blasted off from Florida on Monday, carrying a payload of communications satellites. Later, the reusable main-stage booster turned around, shot back to Cape Canaveral and landed safely near its launch pad.
The rocket carried 11 satellites destined for low-Earth orbit. Minutes after it took off, the Falcon 9's first stage rocket separated from its upper-stage booster, which continued on into orbit to release ORBCOMM's satellites.
The much-awaited success comes after several attempts that ended in explosions. In a similar attempt in June, a cargo ship bound for the International Space Station was destroyed.
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