Manufacturer: SpaceX
Height: 70 meters (229.6 feet)
Diameter: 3.7 meters (12 feet)
Mass: 549,054 kg (1,207,920 lb)
Payload to LEO: 22,800 kg (50,265 lb)
Payload to GTO: 8,300 kg (18,300 lb)
Stages: 2
Engines:First Stage: 9 Merlin engines (RP-1/LOX)Second Stage: 1 Merlin Vacuum engine
Launch Sites: Kennedy Space Center, Vandenberg Space Force Base
Reusability: First stage is reusable
Description
The Falcon 9 is a partially reusable, medium-lift launch vehicle developed and manufactured by SpaceX. First launched in 2010, it has become the most frequently used orbital rocket in the world, supporting a wide range of missions including commercial satellite launches, cargo and crewed missions to the International Space Station (ISS), and deep-space exploration. The two-stage rocket is powered by Merlin engines using liquid oxygen (LOX) and RP-1 (refined kerosene) propellants. Falcon 9 is the first orbital-class rocket capable of reflight, significantly reducing launch costs and enabling rapid turnaround between missions. Its proven reliability and reusability make it a cornerstone of both NASA’s and commercial spaceflight operations.
Falcon 9: The Falcon 9 is a two-stage, partially reusable rocket designed for a wide range of missions, including satellite deployments, ISS resupply missions, and human spaceflight.
SpaceX COTS Demo Flight (2010) – First Falcon 9 test flight for NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services.
SpaceX CRS-1 (2012) – First commercial cargo mission to the ISS.
SES-8 (2013) – First SpaceX mission to GTO.
Thaicom-8 (2016) – First successful Falcon 9 drone ship landing.
Iridium NEXT Constellation Launches (2017-2019) – Deployment of 75 satellites for Iridium Communications.
Falcon Heavy Demo (2018) – Falcon 9 core used as part of Falcon Heavy’s first launch.
Crew Dragon Demo-1 (2019) – First uncrewed Crew Dragon test flight to the ISS.
Crew Dragon Demo-2 (2020) – First crewed flight of Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon.
Starlink Missions (2019-Present) – Ongoing launches of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites for global internet coverage.
Crew-1 (2020) – First operational crewed mission to ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Inspiration4 (2021) – First all-civilian orbital spaceflight.
Axiom Mission 1 (2022) – First private astronaut mission to ISS.
NASA Psyche Mission (2023) – Falcon 9 launched NASA’s asteroid exploration spacecraft to study the metal-rich asteroid Psyche.
Planned missions include continued Starlink deployments, ISS resupply, commercial crewed flights, lunar exploration missions under Artemis, and interplanetary science missions. Falcon 9 remains one of the most reliable and frequently launched rockets in the world.
