Remembering back to 21 December 2015 and the first landing of a Falcon 9 booster at Cape Canaveral after launching the ORBCOMM satellite. The launch of CRS-24, clouded out for photography, on 21 December 2021 marked the 100th landing of a Falcon 9 booster.

After successfully carrying out its mission to deliver eleven ORBCOMM satellites into orbit, the Falcon 9 first stage returns from 124 miles into space at hypersonic speeds to make a soft landing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A feat that SpaceX has long worked toward to achieve. The time exposure shows the long climb toward orbit at left. On its return the Falcon 9 could be seen falling at great speed until it neared the ground when its engines fired to slow it down for the landing, which is the shorter streak at right. A deafening sonic boom rattled the area moments after landing. Click to view more images of the launch and landing as seen from the beach.