A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from the Vandenberg AFB on Sunday night with an Argentine radar earth observation satellite. The satellite was successfully placed into a low earth polar orbit. The rocket created a marvelous light show over Southern California, particularly when the upper stage separated from the first stage booster, which flew back to Vandenberg for a successful landing on the ground there. All previous boosters that returned for landings after launches from VAFB set down onto sea platforms.
The launch came just after sunset and created a marvelous light show over Southern California, particularly when the upper stage separated from the booster and the booster began its descent back to VAFB. Here are some videos posted of the event:
In this video, at 1:30 the staging occurs. And around 4:45 the booster fires its engines on its return flight.
Segments of the SpaceX webcast:
More about the launch:
- SpaceX aces first rocket landing in California after launching Argentine satellite – Spaceflight Now
- SpaceX Falcon 9 launches with SAOCOM 1A and nails first West Coast landing – NASASpaceFlight.com
- SpaceX’s Falcon 9 returns to Earth in first on-site media photos of rocket recovery – Teslarati
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