SpaceX successfully launched its first space mission on Saturday by sending a fleet of communication satellites into orbit. More importantly, its unmanned reusable rocket returned and landed on a floating robotic platform across the Pacific Ocean.

SpaceX placed 10 Iridium satellites in orbit after blasting off from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California around 12:54 p.m. EST. This is the private space company's first flight after a Falcon 9 rocket explosion in September last year.

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Nine minutes into the launch of the first stage of the rocket, the Falcon 9 landed vertically on a floating autonomous barge off the ocean. This is the seventh successful reusable rocket landing for SpaceX and the first landing from California.

"Mission looks good, started deploying 10 Iridium satellites and rocket stable on the drone ship," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced via Twitter. After receiving confirmation that all the satellites had been launched into orbit around 11 a.m. local time, he announced the success of the mission via a tweet.

This is the 30th space mission for SpaceX. The primary aim of this mission is to deliver the 10 communication satellites into orbit as part of a US $3 billion network upgrade.

SpaceX also has several launch contracts lined up for Iridium including 81 satellites as part of its constellation communication satellite network. This new satellite network will allow global tracking for aircraft plus mobile and data services as well, according to Matt Desch of Iridium.

This year, SpaceX will launch 27 missions along with the opening of a new launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after a rocket explosion on September 1.

September's blast destroyed Facebook satellites worth US $200 million. Before this, another explosion occurred in June 2015 when a Dragon cargo re-supply ship exploded two minutes into lift off towards the International Space Station, carrying food, supplies, and scientific equipment.