【18 U.S.C 2257】

SpaceX has just successfully landed its first rocket8 U.S.C 2257the U.S. West Coast.

After launching a satellite from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base on Sunday evening with the Falcon 9 rocket, the spaceflight company brought its first stage booster back to Earth just under eight minutes after liftoff.

SEE ALSO: Newly-discovered world on the edge of the solar system could lead us to Planet X

While SpaceX has launched a rocket from Vandenberg AFB in July, its landing took place on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean.

This time around, the Falcon 9's booster returned to SpaceX's ground-based Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4), located right next to the launch pad at Vandenberg AFB. It's a former launch pad for NASA's Titan family of rockets, which were retired in 2005.

Watch the moment the Falcon 9's booster landed right on the button on LZ-4. It's pretty smooth:

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

SpaceX began building LZ-4 in 2016, taking a year to complete.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Land landings aren't threatened by storms like ocean landings are, and they also allow SpaceX to refurbish the boosters faster, as they don't need to be recovered from sea.

Nearby residents in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties were warned they "may hear one or more sonic booms" from the landing. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk warned that the booms "won't be subtle."

But there were some beautiful-looking trails in the sky above Los Angeles and San Francisco, left behind by the rocket's launch.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The upgraded Block 5 Falcon 9 is part of SpaceX's plan for vastly cheaper and more efficient spaceflight.

SpaceX has a goal of using the boosters up to ten times with little maintenance, and 100 with refurbishment, as well as being able to relaunch boosters 24 hours after landing.

---

Featured Video For You

---

This farm, run entirely by robots, uses 90% less water than traditional farms

---

• Deals
• Life
• Shopping
• Tech
• Social Good
• Digital Culture
• Science
• Games

• Eufy L60 robot vacuum: Get it for $279.95 at Amazon
• The BlackBerry Motion has no physical keyboard and its battery life is enormous
• AOL Instant Messenger is being laid to rest and the internet is mourning very loudly
• The MasterSous is a multipurpose cooking device that will stir for you
• How to Remotely Sign Out of Gmail on Multiple Devices
• 'Game of Thrones' Season 8 filming dates give us a premiere date clue
• 'Thor: Ragnarok' review roundup: Critics react
• 7 Do's (and 7 Don'ts) you need to know before throwing a Halloween party
• Is 'Sing Sing' streaming? How to watch the A24 drama at home.
• New York Comic Con's Westworld experience is a little too real

• NASA reveals deep space photo from James Webb Space Telescope test
• James Webb telescope snaps thrilling images of Jupiter and hurtling asteroids
• Japan’s Uniqlo sees potential for growth in China despite falling profit and revenue · TechNode
• JBL speakers are up to 38% off at Amazon
• West Indies vs. New Zealand 2024 livestream: Watch T20 World Cup for free
• The first Webb telescope image is warped and psychedelic. Here's why.
• Apple plans to work with Google’s Gemini, other AI models
• Scientists found a mysterious radio signal in space. No, it's not aliens.
• Adobe to update terms of service amid backlash
• OnePlus Pad 2 debuts with upgraded vibrating tip stylus · TechNode

• Who is SpaceX's first moon passenger, Yusaku Maezawa?
• Safelite has seen 'Saturday Night Live' sketch, and they aren't happy
• McDonald's relents to rabid 'Rick and Morty' fans, promises more Szechuan sauce
• Safelite has seen 'Saturday Night Live' sketch, and they aren't happy
• Trump tells '60 Minutes' that climate change will 'change back again'
• A new Star Wars trailer is dropping during Monday Night Footbal
• Woman reports same dick pic 3 times, gets 3 different responses from Twitter
• Watch the Tesla Model 3 production process in slow motion
• Best gaming laptop deal: Save $400 on the HP Victus 15 with Ryzen 5 and Radeon RX 6550M
• Watch Claire and Jamie's sexy Outlander reunion in this preview video

• How to Secure Your Android Phone and Get the Most Out of Smart Lock
• McDonald's is testing out a McVegan burger in Finland
• This new Girl Scouts site is a 'treasure chest' of tips for girls to make a difference
• BlackBerry's next phone appears to counter trends with enormous bezel
• Best iPhone deal: Save $147 on the iPhone 15 Pro Max
• Why teenage boys don't want to call themselves feminists
• Wanted man taunts police on Facebook, it backfires big time
• 'Game of Thrones' star Nathalie Emmanuel posts anti
• The Kindle Scribe just dropped to its lowest price ever, but is it worth it?
• Marvel struck, then quickly cancelled, a partnership with a major defense contractor