The future of space rocketry (Off-Topic)

by naturl selexion, Thursday, December 24, 2015, 20:41 (3489 days ago) @ CyberKN

This is very cool and a huge accomplishment which deserves much praise. I would like to clarify though that it did not deliver a payload to orbit and then return to land.

It boosted its payload to about 4,800 mph at an altitude of 45 miles then separated, turned, fired its engines and reversed its trajectory so that it could return to land. Meanwhile the second stage accelerated to about 17,000 mph in order to reach orbit. It then successfully delivered 11 satellites into LEO, Low Earth Orbit. The second stage then fired its engine so that it would drop out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere.

A huge success and a turning point in access to space.