> first to successfully launch and land a VTOL booster They were not the first the launch and land a VTOL booster. According to the article it was the first VT

> first to successfully launch and land a VTOL booster They were not the first the launch and land a VTOL booster. According to the article it was the first VTOL booster to fly above the Karman line and then land safely. But SpaceX had a flying VTOL booster in 2012-2013. [1] Actually it's amazing because Blue Origin made that flight in 2015, and five years later they made basically the same flight but with people in it. Meanwhile SpaceX nailed orbital landing, is reusing orbital boosters like crazy, released the Falcon Heavy, and has made remarkable progress on the Mars Rocket. And BO still hasn't made orbit. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper_(rocket) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper_(rocket)