--- title: SpaceX Successfully Lauches and Lands a Falcon 9 Rocket description: The landing was the second time SpaceX successfully landed a rocket on land canonical: https://time.com/4410638/vivid-photo-shows-successful-launch-and-land-of-a-spacex-rocket/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-07-18T15:51:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:55:19.761Z article:section: Science og:title: SpaceX Successfully Lauches and Lands a Falcon 9 Rocket og:description: The landing was the second time SpaceX successfully landed a rocket on land og:url: https://time.com/4410638/vivid-photo-shows-successful-launch-and-land-of-a-spacex-rocket/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt011b50a237798d6a/69889c4e428a9e0558cd3745/spacex-launch.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2048 og:image:height: 1152 og:image:alt: NASA and SpaceX joint effort launches CRS-9 mission to the International Space Station og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: SpaceX Successfully Lauches and Lands a Falcon 9 Rocket twitter:description: The landing was the second time SpaceX successfully landed a rocket on land twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt011b50a237798d6a/69889c4e428a9e0558cd3745/spacex-launch.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Vivid Photo Shows Successful Launch and Land of a SpaceX Rocket > Sponsored content. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=207c50df-cb8f-4520-9bdb-4fb4d323407c&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1) ## Video: SpaceX Rocket Landing [Watch (HLS stream): SpaceX Rocket Landing](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/rWkXLTwo.m3u8) (1:04)  _Published 2016-07-18. SpaceX successfully landed a Falcon 9 rocket on the ground early Monday morning. The rocket was launched rocket into space from Cape Canaveral, Fla._ by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jul 18, 2016 3:51 PM UTC  The liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., July 18 2016. The liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., July 18 2016. SPACEX/EPA by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jul 18, 2016 3:51 PM UTC SpaceX successfully landed a [Falcon 9 rocket on the ground ](http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-sends-trailblazing-science-cargo-to-international-space-station-aboard-spacex)early Monday morning. The rocket was launched rocket into space from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The landing marked the second time SpaceX successfully landed a rocket on land and the fifth time a SpaceX rocket was recovered after landing. SpaceX markets itself as the future of space travel. The [_Verge_](http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/18/12208560/spacex-falcon-9-ground-landing-success) reports that during the past six SpaceX launches, rockets have landed on drone ships. According to [NASA](http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-sends-trailblazing-science-cargo-to-international-space-station-aboard-spacex), the Falcoln 9 rocket was carrying a SpaceX cargo spacecraft which was carrying 5,000 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is expected to be attached to the space station by Wednesday morning. According to NASA, this is the company’s ninth cargo flight to the space station. SpaceX kept Twitter followers in the loop during the launch early Monday morning. > [](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/754906212429238272) ## Transcript Three, two, one, main engines up and running and lift- off of the Falcon 9 to the space station. [ INAUDIBLE ] commercial crews while continuing experiments for long- term living in space. Falcon 9 having cleared the tower, [ SOUND ] [ INAUDIBLE ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Four stage that column. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Landing lights have deployed. LZ -!, Falcon 9 has landed. 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