News

SpaceX's returned booster rocket back in hangar

Posted January 04, 2016 6:00 am

By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - SpaceX's booster rocket, the Falcon, is back in its nest following a historic landing.

The California company led by Elon Musk shared a picture of the returned booster Sunday. The used Falcon 9 is shown on its side inside a hangar at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Musk says no damage was found.

The booster carried satellites aloft Dec. 21, then flew back to its specified landing zone, a first for an orbital mission. It landed upright on legs.

Musk plans to fire the booster again in a test to demonstrate rocket reusability. This particular booster won't fly again, given its significance. Another booster landing could occur as early as next month on a space station supply run for NASA.

SpaceX wants to reuse rockets to save time and money.

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.