In the event, the first stage successfully decelerated from hypersonic speed in the upper atmosphere, made a successful reentry, landing burn, and deployment of its landing legs and touched down on the ocean surface.

The first stage was not recovered however as the hull integrity was breached on landing or on the subsequent "tip over and body slam".

[3] This launch schedule was particularly problematic and was delayed several times, with success on the fourth scheduled launch attempt on July 14, 2014.

[1][2][4] Earlier launch attempts were: In an arrangement unusual for launch vehicles, the first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket conducted a propulsive-return over-water test after the second stage with the Orbcomm OG2 payload separated from the booster.

The April test resulted in the first successful controlled ocean soft touchdown of a liquid-rocket-engine orbital booster[9] and included landing legs for the first time which were extended for the simulated "landing".