SpaceX rocket landing

SpaceX has successfully landed an unmanned rocket upright, after sending 11 satellites into orbit. It is the second booster to achieve the feat after the smaller New Shepard rocket landed in Texas in November

Second stage (with

composite faring):

Latest mission carried

11 Orbcomm

communication

satellites

Payload

continues

to space

Booster

flips over

before

descent

Hypersonic

grid fins (x4):

Unfold during

descent to

aid stability

Stage

separation

Soft

landing

at LZ-1

Lift-off

from LC-40

First stage

Incorporates nine

Merlin engines –

fuelled by liquid

oxygen and

kerosene – able

to produce up to

1.5 million

pounds of thrust

LAUNCH

First stage:

Rocket must

slow from nearly

5,800km/h to zero

LANDING

Launch

Complex

40

Kennedy

Space

Centre

(LC-40)

3km

1.8 miles

CAPE CANAVERAL

AIR FORCE

STATION

Landing

legs:

down to

stabilise rocket

Fold

Landing

Zone 1

(LZ-1)*

Cape

Canaveral

Merlin engines

*Formerly Space Launch Complex 13

Sources: SpaceX, wire agencies

SpaceX rocket landing

SpaceX has successfully landed an unmanned rocket upright, after sending 11 satellites into orbit. It is the second booster to achieve the feat after the smaller New Shepard rocket landed in Texas in November

Second stage:

Latest mission carried 11

communication satellites

Hypersonic grid fins (x4):

Unfold during descent

to aid stability

Payload

continues

to space

Booster

flips over

before

descent

Stage

separation

Soft

landing

at LZ-1

Lift-off

from LC-40

LAUNCH

LANDING

First stage

Incorporates nine

Merlin engines –

fuelled by liquid

oxygen and

kerosene – able

to produce up to

1.5 million

pounds of thrust

First stage: Rocket

must slow from

nearly 5,800km/h

to zero

Landing

legs:

down to

stabilise rocket

Fold

Merlin engines

Kennedy

Space

Centre

Launch

Complex

40

(LC-40)

Landing

Zone 1

(LZ-1)*

CAPE CANAVERAL

AIR FORCE STATION

3km

1.8 miles

Cape Canaveral

*Formerly Space Launch Complex 13

Sources: SpaceX, wire agencies

SpaceX rocket

landing

SpaceX has successfully landed an unmanned rocket upright, after sending 11 satellites into orbit. It is the second booster to achieve the feat after the smaller New Shepard rocket landed in Texas in November

Second stage:

Latest mission

carried 11

Orbcomm

communication

satellites

Hypersonic grid

fins (x4):

during descent

to aid stability

Unfold

First stage

Incorporates nine

Merlin engines –

fuelled by liquid

oxygen and

kerosene – able

to produce up to

1.5 million

pounds of thrust

Landing legs:

Fold down to

stabilise rocket

LAUNCH

Merlin

engines

Payload

continues

to space

Booster

flips over

before

descent

Stage

separation

Soft

landing

at LZ-1

Lift-off

from LC-40

LANDING

First stage:

Rocket must

slow from

nearly

5,800km/h

to zero

Launch

Complex

40

(LC-40)

3km

1.8 miles

Kennedy

Space

Centre

CAPE CANAVERAL

AIR FORCE STATION

Landing

Zone 1

(LZ-1)*

Cape

Canaveral

*Formerly Space Launch Complex 13

Sources: SpaceX, wire agencies