SpaceX first: Recycled rocket soars with recycled capsule

Image Courtesy: NASA

Miami: For the first time, SpaceX on Friday launched both a rocket and a cargo ship that have flown before, a step forward in the company's goal to lower the cost of spaceflight.

After the launch the California-based company headed by Internet tycoon Elon Musk landed its rocket booster upright on solid ground at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

SpaceX has now managed to return 20 of its rocket boosters after launch, whether on land or on a floating ocean platform, as part of its effort to re-use instead of jettison costly rocket components.

"That marks the second successful visit to and from space for this particular booster," said a SpaceX commentator, as live images showed the tall portion of the rocket glide down, upright, from the air to the launchpad.

The recycled Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket blasted off at 10:36 am (1536 GMT).

Three minutes later, the booster and second stage of the rocket separated, as SpaceX's webcast showed the two components making an arc away from each other in the sky.

Then, the second stage continued to propel the Dragon toward the International Space Station, while the tall portion of the rocket powered its engines to guide it back to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. 

It was the 14th recovery of a booster for SpaceX this year alone.