They tuned in by the tens of thousands, crowding around their screens the way residents of the Florida Space Coast once jammed the beaches to witness rocket launches at the dawn of the Space Age.
But the audience watching SpaceX's live web broadcast of its launch from Cape Canaveral on Friday was treated to a show that until just a few years ago was widely discounted as impossible - the vertical landing of the Falcon 9 rocket, which used its engine thrust to slow down and touch softly on a boat in the Atlantic Ocean.
On Sunday morning, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft caught up to the International Space Station. Flying at 17,500 mph, the spacecraft pulled up alongside the orbiting laboratory, and at 7:23 a.m., European astronaut Tim Peake grabbed it using a robotic arm.
"It looks like we caught a Dragon," he said.
While the main mission was to deliver food and cargo to the station, it was the landing at sea that was hailed as a breakthrough.
President Barack Obama, whose administration followed through with controversial plans to retire the space shuttle and contract out missions to the space station, tweeted his congratulations. And employees at SpaceX, which earlier had made four unsuccessful sea landing attempts, went wild, thrilled at pulling off yet another feat.
Buzz Aldrin cheered on SpaceX. So did Lori Garver, a former NASA deputy administrator who helped spearhead the effort within the agency to help stand up a new commercial space industry by awarding lucrative contracts to help companies develop their spacecraft.
READ: SpaceX lands rocket on ocean platform for first time
They understood the significance of the landing for the commercial space industry: that being able to recover rockets - instead of discarding them into the sea, as was the practice for decades - could help to dramatically lower the cost of spaceflight and eventually open it up to the masses. In December, SpaceX landed its first stage on a landing pad it had built at Cape Canaveral.
But this time, the event - and that extra bit of daring by landing it on a boat - reverberated well beyond the space community. Actress Mia Farrow and director Jon Favreau tweeted their congrats. On her MSNBC broadcast, Rachel Maddow started off the segment by saying, "So here's an incredible thing that happened today. You just kind of have to see it. It's amazing."
Other journalists were publicly rooting for the achievement, just as Walter Cronkite did while watching John Glenn become the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. "Go, baby!" he cheered during the CBS broadcast, as the rocket soared into the sky.
Years later, he would say he "dropped my impartiality for a moment. Well, it just burst out."
The launch to the space station was SpaceX's first since its Falcon 9 rocket blew in June. While the company investigated the failure, its rockets were grounded for months. Now it has a lot of catching up to do to work through a backlog of commercial and government launch orders. At a news conference after the launch on Friday, CEO Elon Musk said SpaceX plans to launch every two to three weeks later in the year.
And it will continue to try to perfect the art of the first-stage landing, either on the drone ship, as it calls its autonomous boat, or at its landing zone on the cape.
"We'll be successful, ironically, when it becomes boring," Musk said. "When it's like, 'Oh, yeah, another landing. No news there.' "
Later this year, SpaceX also plans to fly its newest rocket, the Falcon Heavy, which would have 27 engines, or three times as many as the Falcon 9. But Musk's main goal is to fly to Mars. And later this year, he plans to provide some details on the space vehicles that would ultimately take humans there.
Along with Boeing, SpaceX has a NASA contract to fly astronauts to the space station. First flights are scheduled for next year. If successful, those flights would represent an even greater achievement: the first manned missions to space from U.S. soil since the space shuttle was retired in 2011.
The Washington Post
Mon Apr 11 2016
CEO Elon Musk said SpaceX plans to launch every two to three weeks later in the year.
Who is Prabowo Subianto, incoming president of Indonesia?
A wealthy ex-general with ties to Indonesia's popular outgoing president and its dictatorial past, looks set to be its next leader.
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.
Israeli strikes kill 33 people in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, medics say
Residents of Jabalia said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp after pushing through suburbs and residential districts.
Liam Payne's ex-partner calls for media restraint after 'painful' death
Cheryl Tweedy used her statement to urge the media to remember they had a seven-year-old son, Bear, who could read the reports.
Analysts: Indonesia's strong MoF leadership team to boost investor confidence
Sri Mulyani Indrawati as head of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance is expected to instil confidence among investors.
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
Israel has frequently resisted US advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration.
Putin says BRICS will generate most of global economic growth
Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a summit of the group in the city of Kazan on Oct. 22-24.
ISIS Malaysia's perspective of Budget 2025
An excellent rakyat-centric budget under the overarching principle of a caring and humane economy.
Budget 2025: Record increase in STR, SARA aid initiatives
The government will provide a significant boost to the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiatives next year.
Budget 2025: EPF contributions to be made mandatory for foreign workers – PM Anwar
The government plans to make it compulsory for all non-citizen workers to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
What policies to expect from Indonesia's new President Prabowo
Prabowo will be open to foreign investment, his aide has said, such as by offering investors management of airports and sea ports.
Budget 2025: Govt allocates RM470 mil to empower women's participation in PMKS
The Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Program will be intensified as an effort to produce more female corporate personalities.
Israel sends more troops into north Gaza, deepens raid
Residents of Jabalia in northern Gaza said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp, using heavy air and ground fire.
Indonesia ramps up security ahead of Prabowo's inauguration
Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia's president on Sunday with Vice President-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, also taking office.
Immediate allocation of RM150 mil for local authorities, DID to tackle flash floods
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this allocation is intended to address the recent flash floods that hit the capital and several major towns.
Budget 2025: Sabah, Sarawak to continue receiving among highest allocations - PM
Sabah and Sarawak continues to be prioritised under Budget 2025, with allocations of RM6.7 billion and RM5.9 billion respectively.