SpaceX rocket lifts off on spy mission for US military
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has lifted off from the southeastern US state of Florida, sending a government satellite on a spy mission and marking the first military launch for the aerospace company.
The 230-foot rocket, carrying NROL-76 payload, blasted off from its seaside launch pad at Kennedy Space Center at 7:15 a.m. (1115 GMT) on Monday.
The classified payload belonged to the National Reconnaissance Office, an agency within the US Defense Department that makes and operates spy satellites.
About ten minutes after take-off, the main section of the rocket came back to Earth and landed upright at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, located just south of the launch site.
"And we have touchdown," a SpaceX commentator said on a live video as cheers broke out at mission control.
"The first stage has landed back at Landing Zone 1. Another good day for us at SpaceX. A beautiful sight to see."
The aerospace company said the launch had initially been scheduled for Sunday, but was postponed in the last seconds before take-off due to a “sensor issue” with the rocket.
“Launch and landing of the NRO spy satellite was good,” said Elon Musk, founder and owner of SpaceX company, on his Twitter page. “Tough call, as high altitude wind shear was at 98.6% of the theoretical load limit.”
Monday's launch was the fifth of more than 20 flights planned by the California-based company for this year.
SpaceX is set to launch another Falcon 9 carrying a commercial satellite from Kennedy Space Center as soon as May 15.
The privately-owned firm regularly launches unmanned cargo ships to the International Space Station, and is working on a crew capsule that could carry humans into orbit as early as next year.
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