Imagine that every time an airplane was used, it was destroyed. Just flying one time would cost over a million dollars a ticket. That's how it works with rockets for launching satellites, spacecraft, etc. Well, the Falcon 9 is a rocket system where the first booster stage actually flies back and lands itself so it can be re-used... and that JUST happened.
If we haven't killed ourselves in 100 years, this will be seen as a watershed moment in space technology.
Where do you think the majority of these guys learned their trade? And you know that was from Cape Canaveral, right? Because their previous tests with water landings failed? Ignorant. If there is any example of a government entity creating growth in the private sector, it's NASA.
I thought they had done this a few weeks ago? But yes, it is a great achievement, because a reusable rocket is paramount to making space flight even remotely feasible.