Hawthorne-Based SpaceX Makes History With Landing Of Unmanned Rocket At Cape Canaveral

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA.com) — Hawthorne-based SpaceX made history Monday night after the company's Falcon 9 rocket landed safely back in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The vertical landing happened just 10 minutes after it took off captivating a new generation of space lovers.

"Mesmerized," said one man. "I was blown away. It was unbelievable to me. I kinda want to be an astronaut now."

With two reentry flares, it's the first time the private company returned a rocket back on land.

The mission delivered a constellation of 11 communication satellites into orbit and signals the start of cheaper space travel.

For longtime NASA fans, it was a milestone they had to see firsthand.

"It's so cool to see this private launch and to see this thing come back down and apparently land safely," said another man. "It was just incredible."

A major victory for billionaire Elon Musk after a failed launch in June ended with an explosion.

Monday's launch was delayed one day, a calculated move to ensure a safe landing.

"We're just so happy everything worked out," said another man. "For us, we're happy to be able to see it. I mean, we drove all the way from Canada."

"There and back again," tweeted Musk.

Click below to watch the landing:

In:
• SpaceX