---
title: "SpaceX Just Landed Its First Rocket in California"
description: "Launching and landing reusable rockets is now possible in California; SpaceX has successfully recovered a booster on the West Coast."
date: "2018-10-08"
modified: "2018-10-08"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/reusable-rockets-spacex-california"
categories:
  - "Space"
  - "SpaceX"
tags:
  - "elon musk"
  - "reusable rockets"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "the digest"
---

# SpaceX Just Landed Its First Rocket in California

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/spacex.png>)

## California Skies

California just joined a very exclusive club.

On Sunday, SpaceX [launched a Falcon 9](<https://www.space.com/42056-spacex-aces-1st-california-rocket-landing-saocom-1a-launch.html>) rocket carrying a satellite for Argentina's national space agency from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Central California.

California launches have become routine for the spacetech giant, but what happened next made history: Eight minutes after the launch, the reusable rocket touched back down just 400 meters from the launch pad, marking the first time SpaceX landed one on the West Coast.

## Routine Rocketry

SpaceX has now recovered rockets 30 times. Eleven of those landings took place at Florida's Cape Canaveral, while the other 18 boosters touched down on [off-shore "drone ships." ](<https://futurism.com/falcon-heavy-launched-next-stop-mars>)

By adding another location to that short list of where it can successfully launch and land boosters, SpaceX brings us one step further into the era of [reusable rockets](<https://futurism.com/the-u-s-air-force-space-command-is-completely-committed-to-recycled-rockets>), which drive down the cost of space missions and the turn-around time between launches.

https://youtu.be/vr_C6LQ7mHc

**READ MORE:** [SpaceX Aces First-Ever Rocket Landing in California after Spectacular Satellite Launch](<https://www.space.com/42056-spacex-aces-1st-california-rocket-landing-saocom-1a-launch.html>) \[Space.com\]

***More on reusable rockets: [The U.S. Air Force Space Command Is “Completely Committed” to Recycled Rockets](<https://futurism.com/the-u-s-air-force-space-command-is-completely-committed-to-recycled-rockets>)***

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)