Revisit the moment from a decade ago when SpaceX transformed space travel permanently.

      SpaceX achieved a historic milestone by successfully landing a Falcon 9 rocket for the first time.

      "The Falcon has landed" | Summary of Falcon 9 launch and landing

      On December 21, exactly ten years ago, SpaceX made history as the first organization to recover an orbital-class rocket by landing it back on Earth vertically.

      This achievement came seven years after the concept was initially proposed by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and after four unsuccessful landing attempts. A Falcon 9 booster returned to Cape Canaveral in Florida just minutes after launching 11 Orbcomm OG2 communications satellites, landing upright and undamaged on the ground.

      You can view this incredible moment in the video player at the top of this page.

      This significant event represented a major advancement for SpaceX in its mission to reuse first-stage boosters for multiple flights, drastically reducing the costs associated with space missions by eliminating the need for a new rocket for each launch.

      While the landing was groundbreaking news at the time, it has since become so routine that it often goes unnoticed.

      SpaceX has since utilized the Falcon 9 for various purposes, including satellite launches, crew and cargo missions to the International Space Station, private crewed flights, and missions to the moon.

      Other spaceflight companies have attempted to replicate SpaceX’s success in landing an orbital-class rocket, but the task is challenging.

      The U.S. company Blue Origin, founded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, encountered failure in its first attempt with the New Glenn rocket earlier this year, though it succeeded in a later flight.

      Additionally, a Chinese company experienced a crash when attempting to land a booster for the first time earlier this month.

      SpaceX applied the knowledge gained from the Falcon 9 to develop the Starship megarocket, which is intended for future missions to the moon and Mars. Engineers have devised a method to recover the Starship’s first stage, named the Super Heavy, although the technique differs from that of the Falcon 9. Instead of landing on legs, SpaceX employs giant mechanical arms on the launch tower to "catch" the Super Heavy during its descent, securing it just above the ground.

      Not long ago, Trevor relocated from one tea-drinking island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

      SpaceX is racing towards a new milestone with the Falcon 9

      It has been another active year for the American spaceflight company. For the sixth consecutive year, SpaceX is on track to set a new annual launch record for the Falcon 9 rocket, underscoring the company’s growing dominance in orbital launches and the effectiveness of its reusable booster system that facilitates frequent, cost-efficient flights.

      Elon Musk's company is poised to complete 159 Falcon 9 launches by year-end, surpassing last year's total of 132 (or 134 if including the two Falcon Heavy launches, each utilizing three Falcon 9 boosters). Many of these launches have involved sending satellites for governments and organizations, but the majority of missions have deployed batches of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites into orbit.

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      Don't miss the Geminids meteor shower. Here’s your guide to viewing it

      One of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year is about to reach its peak.

      The Geminids are recognized as one of the most prolific annual meteor showers, potentially showcasing up to 160 “shooting stars” per hour under optimal conditions. This year, the peak of the Geminid meteor shower will occur overnight from Saturday, December 13 to Sunday, December 14 ET, making it an excellent time to plan your viewing.

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      A NASA astronaut is set for a high-speed return home. Here’s how to watch

      After spending eight months aboard the space station, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim is preparing to depart the International Space Station (ISS) and head back to Earth.

      Kim will be making the journey home with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky aboard the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft.

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