The thunderous crack of a sonic boom was heard across parts of central Florida as SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket.
While the reusable rocket usually lands on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean, its 10th launch saw the booster return to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
As the booster broke the sound barrier on its return about 10 minutes after the launch at 10.30 am local time, observers across the region reported hearing the sonic booms shortly before touching down at Landing Zone 1, about five miles south of where it launched.
SpaceX had warned residents could hear sonic booms in Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties.
With the previous nine launches on a drone ship out at sea, Thursday’s launch was the first the sonic boom of the return landing could be heard on land.
The successful launch delivered SpaceX’s Transporter-3 into orbit, carrying up 105 satellites and other spacecraft for commercial and government customers.
It was the 102nd recovery of a stage 1 booster for Elon Musk’s private space firm.
