SpaceX Landing: The Untold Story of a Rocket Revolution

On December 21, 2015, SpaceX achieved a monumental feat: the first successful landing of a Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage. This wasn’t just a technical accomplishment; it was a paradigm shift in space travel, promising drastically reduced costs and increased accessibility. The intricate story behind this revolution is meticulously detailed in Eric Berger’s 2024 book, Reentry. This article, marking the tenth anniversary of this pivotal moment, delves into the inside story of this landing, exploring the challenges, setbacks, and unwavering determination that made it possible. It’s a tale of resilience, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of a seemingly impossible dream.

The Shadow of CRS-7: A Near-Fatal Blow

The path to that historic landing wasn’t smooth. Just months prior, in June 2015, SpaceX suffered a devastating setback with the loss of the CRS-7 cargo mission to NASA. Seconds after launch, the Falcon 9 disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean. David Giger, then managing the entire Dragon program, immediately focused on the survival of the Dragon capsule. “Dragon is alive!” he exclaimed, a testament to the robust design and quick thinking of the SpaceX team.

Saving Dragon: A Race Against Time

While the rocket was lost, the Dragon capsule had separated and was still transmitting data. The challenge was to deploy its parachutes before impact. This was an unprecedented scenario, as SpaceX hadn’t planned for independent Dragon control during a Falcon 9 failure. Controllers frantically worked to establish communication and send the necessary commands to deploy the drogue parachutes, crucial for stabilizing the capsule.

Despite their efforts, the initial commands failed. Dragon continued its descent, and data was lost just a mile above the ocean. The capsule and its 4,000 pounds of cargo were lost, a painful reminder of the inherent risks of spaceflight. The root cause? A forgotten step – failing to activate the power for parachute deployment. This loss became a critical learning experience for SpaceX.

Musk’s Response: “Dragon Shouldn’t Be Fucking Stupid”

Elon Musk, known for his demanding standards, was understandably frustrated. He repeatedly emphasized that Dragon should have been able to save itself. This spurred a rapid integration of emergency procedures into future Dragon missions, ensuring the capsule could autonomously respond to similar crises. The loss of CRS-7, while a setback, fueled a renewed focus on reliability and redundancy.

A Double Blow: Orbital Sciences and the Pressure on Commercial Spaceflight

The CRS-7 failure coincided with another launch failure just six months earlier – Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket explosion. This double blow reignited criticism of NASA’s reliance on commercial spaceflight providers. Critics questioned whether private companies could reliably handle the complexities and risks of delivering cargo, and eventually, humans, to space. SpaceX faced immense pressure to demonstrate its capabilities and restore confidence in the commercial space program.

Acquiring Hallowed Ground: Launch Complex 39A

While grappling with the aftermath of CRS-7, SpaceX was simultaneously pursuing a strategic asset: NASA’s Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. This historic pad, used for Apollo and Space Shuttle missions, represented a significant upgrade in launch capabilities. SpaceX faced competition from Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, who also submitted a bid for the lease.

Bezos’ Offer and SpaceX’s Victory

Bezos offered to share the pad with SpaceX, but his company lacked an operational orbital rocket at the time. NASA ultimately awarded the twenty-year lease to SpaceX in September 2013, recognizing their existing launch cadence and future potential. Musk, while elated, viewed Bezos’ bid as a deliberate attempt to block his access. He famously quipped that he’d be more likely to discover unicorns dancing in the flame duct than see Blue Origin launch from Pad 39A within five years – a prediction that proved remarkably accurate. As of early 2025, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket has yet to make its inaugural launch.

Leadership Challenges and Brian Mosdell’s Departure

Securing Launch Complex 39A was a major victory, but the build-out required significant resources and manpower. Brian Mosdell, SpaceX’s Florida site director, was tasked with preparing the pad for frequent launches. He requested sixty-eight additional employees, but Musk rejected the request, demanding even greater efficiency. This led to a clash of philosophies and ultimately, Mosdell’s resignation. He felt SpaceX’s relentless pursuit of speed and cost-cutting was unsustainable and detrimental to his team’s well-being.

Ricky Lim Steps In

Musk replaced Mosdell with Ricky Lim, a veteran who had been with SpaceX since its early days. Lim successfully rallied the team and oversaw the reconstruction of Launch Complex 39A, eventually hiring hundreds of additional employees. He fostered a culture of relentless execution, enabling SpaceX to achieve a launch cadence that exceeded expectations.

The Painful Lesson of CRS-7 and the Road to Recovery

The loss of CRS-7 was a stark reminder of the risks inherent in spaceflight. The investigation revealed a failure in the second stage, caused by a ruptured liquid oxygen tank due to a broken helium container. The root cause was traced to a faulty $5 stainless steel eye bolt, a cheaper substitute for a more robust component that had been specified during the design phase. This highlighted the importance of rigorous quality control and the potential consequences of cost-cutting measures.

Despite disagreements with NASA over the precise cause of the failure, SpaceX took responsibility and implemented corrective actions. They also offered discounted rates on future cargo missions to compensate for the lost payload. The focus then shifted to the Falcon 9 Full Thrust upgrade, a crucial step towards achieving reusability and reducing launch costs.

Densification: A Risky Gamble for Increased Performance

A key component of the Full Thrust upgrade was propellant densification – chilling the liquid oxygen to maximize its density and increase the rocket’s performance. This was a highly complex and risky undertaking, pushing the boundaries of existing technology. SpaceX’s engineers, led by Phillip Rench, faced numerous challenges in developing and implementing this process at Launch Complex 39A.

Pushing the Limits: A Near Disaster

The densification process involved chilling liquid oxygen to incredibly low temperatures, requiring specialized equipment and meticulous procedures. During testing, the team encountered unexpected issues, including leaks and unstable conditions. Musk, ever the risk-taker, pushed for continued testing despite concerns from his engineers. This relentless pursuit of performance ultimately paid off, but not without significant challenges and near-disasters.

The Historic Landing: A Triumph of Engineering and Determination

After months of intense work, SpaceX was finally ready to attempt the first landing of a Falcon 9 first stage. The launch of the ORBCOMM-2 mission on December 21, 2015, was a culmination of years of effort and a testament to the team’s unwavering determination. The landing at Landing Zone 1 was a resounding success, marking a pivotal moment in space exploration. The sonic boom initially masked the success, leading to a moment of uncertainty before the team confirmed the rocket was standing upright on the landing pad.

A New Era of Spaceflight

The successful landing wasn’t just a technical achievement; it was a symbolic one. It demonstrated that reusable rockets were not just a possibility, but a reality. This opened the door to drastically reduced launch costs and increased access to space, paving the way for a new era of space exploration. The celebration that followed was a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the SpaceX team. The landing of the Falcon 9 first stage wasn’t just a rocket revolution; it was a testament to the power of human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of a bold vision.

As Catriona Chambers, an early SpaceX engineer, reflected, “That was the point where it really sunk in that we had been working on this for so long… It just felt so massive.” The story of SpaceX’s landing is a story of overcoming adversity, embracing risk, and ultimately, changing the future of space travel. It’s a story that continues to inspire and shape the industry today.