Quick facts
- Manufacturer
- SpaceX
- First flight
- June 4, 2010
- Status
- Active
Overview
Falcon 9 is a partially reusable, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle 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. In 2020, it became the first commercial rocket to launch humans to orbit. With 680 successful flights, Falcon 9 has seen the most launches among active launch vehicles; it is noted for its reliability and high launch cadence, with two in-flight failures, one partial failure and one pre-flight destruction.
Forest Trails
- Developed By
Referencing articles
Falcon Heavy, briefly
Three Falcon 9 cores strapped together — for a while, the most powerful operational rocket on Earth.
The history of SpaceX
From a modest El Segundo office to routine reflight — how SpaceX became the world's dominant launch provider.
SpaceX milestones, in order
Two decades of firsts — from the first private orbital rocket to routine crewed missions.
Starlink, explained
How a constellation of small, low-orbit satellites turned into a global internet provider.