Falcon 9

Falcon 9
Logo of the Falcon 9
Ground-level view of a Falcon 9 lifting off from its launch pad
Falcon 9 B1058 lifting off from Kennedy LC-39A, carrying Demo-2
FunctionMedium-lift launch vehicle
ManufacturerSpaceX
Country of originUnited States
Cost per launchUS$69.75 million (2024)[1]
Size
Height
Diameter3.7 m (12 ft)[2]
Mass
  • FT: 549,000 kg (1,210,000 lb)[2]
  • v1.1: 506,000 kg (1,116,000 lb)[3]
  • v1.0: 333,000 kg (734,000 lb)[4]
Stages2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Orbital inclination28.5°
Mass
  • FT: 22,800 kg (50,300 lb)[1] when expended,
    17,500 kg (38,600 lb)[5] when landing on drone ship
  • v1.1: 13,100 kg (28,900 lb)[3]
  • v1.0: 10,400 kg (22,900 lb)[4]
Payload to GTO
Orbital inclination27.0°
Mass
  • FT: 8,300 kg (18,300 lb) when expended,
    5,500 kg (12,100 lb) when landing on drone ship,[1]
    3,500 kg (7,700 lb) when landing at launch site[6]
  • v1.1: 4,800 kg (10,600 lb)[3]
  • v1.0: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb)[4]
Payload to Mars
MassFT: 4,020 kg (8,860 lb)[1]
Associated rockets
Based onFalcon 1
Derivative workFalcon Heavy
Launch history
Status
Launch sites
Total launches
  • 467
    • FT: 447
    • v1.1: 15
    • v1.0: 5
Success(es)
  • 464
    • FT: 446
    • v1.1: 14
    • v1.0: 4
Failure(s)2 (v1.1: CRS-7, FT Block 5: Starlink Group 9-3)
Partial failure(s)1 (v1.0: CRS-1)
Notable outcome(s)1 (FT: AMOS-6 pre-flight destruction)
Landings423 / 434 attempts
First flight
Last flight
First stage
Height39.6 m (130 ft) v1.0 41.2 m (135 ft) v1.1 & FT
Powered by
Maximum thrust
  • FT Block 5: 7,600 kN (1,700,000 lbf)[11]
  • FT: 6,800 kN (1,500,000 lbf)[2]
  • v1.1: 5,900 kN (1,300,000 lbf)[3]
  • v1.0: 4,900 kN (1,100,000 lbf)[4]
Specific impulse
  • v1.1 SL: 282 s (2.77 km/s)[12]
  • v1.1 vac: 311 s (3.05 km/s)[12]
  • v1.0 SL: 275 s (2.70 km/s)[4]
  • v1.0 vac: 304 s (2.98 km/s)[4]
Burn time
  • FT: 162 seconds[2]
  • v1.1: 180 seconds[3]
  • v1.0: 170 seconds
PropellantLOX / RP-1
Second stage
Height2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) v1.0 13.6 m (45 ft) v1.1 and FT short nozzle 13.8 m (45 ft) FT
Powered by
Maximum thrust
  • FT regular: 934 kN (210,000 lbf)[2]
  • FT short: 840 kN (190,000 lbf)
  • v1.1: 801 kN (180,000 lbf)[3]
  • v1.0: 617 kN (139,000 lbf)[4]
Specific impulse
  • FT: 348 s (3.41 km/s)[2]
  • v1.1: 340 s (3.3 km/s)[3]
  • v1.0: 342 s (3.35 km/s)[13]
Burn time
  • FT: 397 seconds[2]
  • v1.1: 375 seconds[3]
  • v1.0: 345 seconds[4]
PropellantLOX / RP-1

Falcon 9 is a partially reusable, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle[d] designed and manufactured in the United States by SpaceX. The first Falcon 9 launch was on June 4, 2010, and the first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched on October 8, 2012.[14] In 2020, it became the first commercial rocket to launch humans to orbit.[15] The Falcon 9 has been noted for its reliability and high launch cadence,[16][17][18] with 464 successful launches, two in-flight failures, one partial failure and one pre-flight destruction. It is the most-launched American orbital rocket in history.

The rocket has two stages. The first (booster) stage carries the second stage and payload to a predetermined speed and altitude, after which the second stage accelerates the payload to its target orbit. The booster is capable of landing vertically to facilitate reuse. This feat was first achieved on flight 20 in December 2015. As of 29 April 2025, SpaceX has successfully landed Falcon 9 boosters 423 times.[e] Individual boosters have flown as many as 27 flights.[19] Both stages are powered by SpaceX Merlin engines,[f] using cryogenic liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) as propellants.[20][21]

The heaviest payloads flown to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) were Intelsat 35e carrying 6,761 kg (14,905 lb), and Telstar 19V with 7,075 kg (15,598 lb). The former was launched into an advantageous super-synchronous transfer orbit,[22] while the latter went into a lower-energy GTO, with an apogee well below the geostationary altitude.[23] On January 24, 2021, Falcon 9 set a record for the most satellites launched by a single rocket, carrying 143 into orbit.[24]

Falcon 9 is human-rated for transporting NASA astronauts to the ISS, certified for the National Security Space Launch program[25] and the NASA Launch Services Program lists it as a "Category 3" (Low Risk) launch vehicle allowing it to launch the agency's most expensive, important, and complex missions.[26]

Several versions of Falcon 9 have been built and flown: v1.0 flew from 2010 to 2013, v1.1 flew from 2013 to 2016, while v1.2 Full Thrust first launched in 2015, encompassing the Block 5 variant, which has been in operation since May 2018.

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference spacex-capabilities was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Cite error: The named reference falcon9-2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cite error: The named reference falcon9-2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cite error: The named reference falcon9-2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Due to continued design improvements, this Falcon 9 carried its highest ever payload of 17.5 tons of useful load to a useful orbit". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  6. ^ Clark, Stephen (December 17, 2018). "Air Force requirements will keep SpaceX from landing Falcon 9 booster after GPS launch". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on May 20, 2019. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  7. ^ Seemangal, Robin (May 4, 2018). "SpaceX Test-Fires New Falcon 9 Block 5 Rocket Ahead of Maiden Flight (Updated)". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference nasaspaceflight.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Graham, Will (September 29, 2013). "SpaceX successfully launches debut Falcon 9 v1.1". NASASpaceFlight. Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference MSDB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference falcon9-2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference falcon9-v1.1-si was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference SpaceX March 10, 2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Amos, Jonathan (October 8, 2012). "SpaceX lifts off with ISS cargo". BBC News. Archived from the original on November 20, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  15. ^ "NASA and SpaceX launch astronauts into new era of private spaceflight". May 30, 2020. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  16. ^ Berger, Eric (February 3, 2022). "The Falcon 9 may now be the safest rocket ever launched". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  17. ^ "The Download: Falcon 9's future, and Big Tech's climate goals". July 18, 2024. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  18. ^ "SpaceX rocket failure highlights need for multiple launch options: 'Falcon 9 is not invulnerable'". July 25, 2024. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  19. ^ "SpaceX launches Falcon 9 first-stage booster on record-breaking 19th flight". Spaceflight Now. December 23, 2023. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  20. ^ Malik, Tariq (January 19, 2017). "These SpaceX Rocket Landing Photos Are Simply Jaw-Dropping". Space.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  21. ^ Thomas, Rachael L. "SpaceX's rockets and spacecraft have really cool names. But what do they mean?". Florida Today. Archived from the original on June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  22. ^ Todd, David (July 6, 2017). "Intelsat 35e is launched into advantageous super-synchronous transfer orbit by Falcon 9". Seradata. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  23. ^ Kyle, Ed (July 23, 2018). "2018 Space Launch Report". Space Launch Report. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018. 07/22/18 Falcon 9 v1.2 F9-59 Telstar 19V 7.075 CC 40 GTO-.
  24. ^ Wattles, Jackie (January 24, 2021). "SpaceX launches 143 satellites on one rocket in record-setting mission". CNN. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  25. ^ Kucinski, William. "All four NSSL launch vehicle developers say they'll be ready in 2021". Sae Mobilus. Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  26. ^ Wall, Mike (November 9, 2018). "SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket Certified to Launch NASA's Most Precious Science Missions". Space.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.


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