Falcon 9 lifts off from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

December 8th, 2011

10:39 AM ET

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On this day: December 8, 2010

On December 8, 2010, SpaceX successfully completed a demonstration flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program with the flight of the first Falcon9 carrying a Dragon capsule.

The Dragon capsule completed two orbits and splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean, making SpaceX the first commercial company to successfully launch and retrieve a capsule from low-Earth orbit.

SpaceX later revealed that Dragon carried a secret payload: a wheel of cheese.

Watch the Falcon9/Dragon launch:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUU38XkSFEs&w=560&h=315%5D

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Post by: CNN's Sophia Dengo
Filed under: In Space • On this Day

soundoff (3 Responses)

Ahmad

Я из Эстонии, очень понравилось пара фраз из поста блога моего начальника:Please do something to stop the evil devil Russia. This ortnucy, power in this ortnucy has done most bad in the whole world all through the history. Most bad to their own people, most to the other nations. Why nobody stops Russia!И это слова взрослого человека, наглядный пример что твориться в головах, промыленных местными и зарубежными медиа источниками.

April 5, 2012 at 10:52 pm |
pj

beer?

December 11, 2011 at 10:48 am |
- fimeilleur
  
  no, Wine.
  
  December 12, 2011 at 4:44 am |