TIME Space

See the SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Take Off and Return to Earth In One Photo

SpaceX

It's the first time that an orbital rocket has completed a stable earth landing

Monday’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch in Cape Canaveral, Fla. was an historic event, and this long-exposure photo shows the entire operation in all of it’s glory.

The snap, shared by SpaceX on Twitter, shows the rocket launching, re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and successfully landing on solid ground, marking the historic process.

It was the first time the company’s orbital rocket successfully completed a stable earth landing—making the vehicle reusable, which will be crucial if the cost of space flight is to be reduced.

The previous version of the rocket exploded minutes after take-off in June. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the explosion was caused by a faulty strut.

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