SpaceX aces 100th rocket landing after Dragon cargo ship launch to space station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX launched its 31st rocket of the year early Tuesday (Dec. 21), sending a used Dragon cargo capsule toward the International Space Station  before nailing the company’s 100th landing. 

A new two-stage Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Launch Complex 39A here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 5:07 a.m. EST (1007 GMT), kicking off the company’s 24th cargo resupply mission to the orbiting lab for NASA. The Dragon is packed with more than 6,500 pounds (2,949 kilograms) of supplies, scientific experiments, and hardware for the crew of Expedition 66 on the station.