Falcon 9 First Landing: Reusability Proven
For the first time in history, an orbital-class rocket booster returns to Earth and lands vertically. The economics of space change forever.
Explore this event on the interactive timeline →On December 21, 2015, SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster landed vertically at Cape Canaveral after delivering 11 Orbcomm satellites to orbit. It was the first time in history an orbital-class rocket booster achieved a controlled vertical landing. This proved that rocket reusability—long considered impractical—was not only possible but economically viable, slashing the cost of access to space by an order of magnitude.
Key Numbers
- Launch Cost (New)
- ~$60M
- Launch Cost (Reused)
- ~$28M
- Booster Reuses (Record)
- 20+
Verified Facts
- The landing occurred on Falcon 9 Flight 20, after multiple failed landing attempts on drone ships throughout 2015.
- SpaceX had tested VTVL technology with the "Grasshopper" test vehicle (2012-2013) before attempting orbital-class landings.
- The first reuse of a landed booster occurred in March 2017, proving the economic model. Boosters are now routinely reflown 15-20+ times.
- This landing reduced Falcon 9 launch costs from ~$60M to ~$28M for reused boosters—a >50% reduction that no competitor has matched.