SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

SpaceX webcast

On Monday morning, SpaceX made its fifth launch of 2017, flying its first major national security payload into low-Earth orbit since becoming certified as a US military launch provider in 2015. Because of the classified nature of the spy satellite, the rocket company was only able to show footage of the launch until the second stage separated from the first.

However, this proved to be a real boon, as SpaceX was able to focus on the return of its Falcon 9 first stage to Earth. New footage showed the first stage all the way from when the second stage lifted away, during a period when it coasted up to 150km, and then finally the various burns as it flew back down to the ground. Along the way we got to see incredible views of the landing from on-board cameras and also from ground-tracking cameras on a mostly clear Florida morning.

The first treat came just two-and-a-half minutes into the launch, as ground cameras showed the separation of the two stages at an altitude of about 90km. Then, the first stage fired a boost-back burn to slow down the rocket's movement, horizontal to the Earth, and reverse its course back toward the Florida-based landing zone. It then coasted for about 90 seconds.

After this, as the rocket began to return to Earth, periodic white puffs indicated that the rocket's nitrogen thrusters were positioning the Falcon 9 for its atmospheric re-entry burn. This burn was perhaps the most spectacular aspect of the landing, as three engines fired, and the rocket descended through a curtain of flames.

Finally came the landing burn, slowing the now-sooty Falcon 9 down from a velocity of about 1,000m/s to near zero. And seconds after that, SpaceX landed its fourth rocket on the ground. Perhaps this one will fly again before the year is out.

Listing image by SpaceX webcast