SpaceX rocket lifts off on cargo run, then lands at launch site (video)

Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket launches a Dragon capsule from Cape Canaveral – next stop for the Dragon capsule is the International Space Station – next stop for the Falcon 9 launch vehicle is a controlled landing just a few miles from the spot this photograph was taken
Credit: AP/The Sydney Morning Herald

A Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket launched from Cape Canaveral at 00:45 USA EDT (04:45 GMT) on Monday 08 July.

At the top of the 23 story space vehicle was a Dragon capsule packed with almost 5,000 pounds (2268kg) of payload, including a 7.8 feet (2.4 m) docking ring. When attached to the International Space Station, it will allow docking with the manned vehicles currently under development by SpaceX & Boeing. First test flights are scheduled to begin in 2017.

After separation of the Dragon capsule, the Falcon 9 flew itself back to a point just a few miles south of its launch pad.

Video below is just over 30 minutes in length
Ten second countdown begins just after 16:45
Landing begins around 24:50



https://uk.news.yahoo.com/spacex-rocket-lifts-off-cargo-060218878.html

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/spacex-rocket-lifts-off-on-cargo-run-then-lands-itself-at-launch-site-20160718-gq8jmi.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-station-spacex-idUSKCN0ZY0BA / SpaceX rocket lift off cargo runlands launch site unmanned SpaceX rocket blasted off Cape Canaveral Florida early Monday cargo ship International Space Station landed itself launch site 23-story-tall Falcon 9 rocket Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX lifted off Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Dragon capsule 5,000 pounds 2,268 kg food supplies equipment miniature DNA sequencer first to fly in space aboard capsule metal docking ring diameter 7.8 feet 2.4 metres meters attached station commercial spaceships under development SpaceX Boeing ferry astronauts station $100-billion laboratory orbits orbit flies 250 miles 400 km above Earth manned craft scheduled begin test flights next year NASA retired fleet space shuttles United States Russia ferry astronauts ISS International Space Station cost more than $70 million per person Dragon cargo ship two-day journey station Falcon 9 booster rocket separated flew itself back to the ground touch touching down south launch pad pair sonic boom good launch good landing Dragon NASA technology SpaceX developing rockets refurbished re-used slashing launch costs touchdown SpaceX successfully landed Falcon rockets ground ocean platform SpaceX launch recovered rockets Hans Koenigsmann vice president mission assurance /