Falcon 9 reusable launch stage landing. View of the first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle (rocket) landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA, on 27th May 2016. The Falcon 9 rockets are a family of two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicles that use a partially-reusable launch system. Here the reusable fist stage is seen returning to earth after the launch of the THAICOM 8 satellite - a commercial communications satellite built by Orbital ATK, whose mission is to provide Ku-band communications coverage for South and Southeast Asia. SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies) is a private US aerospace and space transport services company.