term Boostback Burn ~1 minute read
The “Boostback Burn” is the maneuver that SpaceX uses on the Falcon 9 booster as well as the ITS booster. It is a retrograde burn, performed immediately after stage separation, that redirects the IIP to the landing pad.
Here’s the approximate profile of a return-to-launch-site profile with the Falcon 9.
Further reading
- Read more from SpaceX: The why and how of landing rockets