SpaceX · United States · First flight 2018 · Reusable first stage
The workhorse of the global launch industry. First orbital-class rocket to achieve propulsive landing and routine reuse of the first stage. Dominates the global commercial launch market with 134 flights in 2024 and 165 in 2025. Boosters have been certified for up to 40 flights each. Block 5 variant first flew May 2018 (original Falcon 9 v1.0 debuted June 2010).
From SpaceNexus's launch tracker (tracked since Oct 8, 2022); outcomes recorded as each flight lands. Career totals above are the vehicle's full history.
| Height | 70 m |
| Diameter | 3.7 m |
| Liftoff mass | 549,054 kg |
| Stages | 2 |
| Engines | 9x Merlin 1D + 1x Merlin Vacuum |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| Fairing diameter | 5.2 m |
| Payload to LEO | 22,800 kg |
| Payload to GTO | 8,300 kg |
| Payload to SSO | 15,600 kg |
| Payload to TLI | — |
| Reusable | Yes (first stage) |
| First flight | 2018-05-11 |
| Last flight | Active |
| Variants seen on the manifest | Falcon 9, Falcon 9 Block 5 |
A dedicated Falcon 9 Block 5 launch lists at roughly $67 million, about $2,940 per kilogram to low Earth orbit at full payload. Actual contract prices vary with orbit, integration and government requirements.
The next tracked Falcon 9 Block 5 launch is Starlink Group 15-23 on Sep 2, 2026, 07:46 UTC from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Dates move; Mission Control carries the live countdown.
Falcon 9 Block 5 has flown 615 times with 612 successes, 2 failures and 1 partial failures — a 99.5% success rate, with 400 consecutive successes at last count.
22,800 kg to low Earth orbit, 8,300 kg to geostationary transfer orbit, 15,600 kg to sun-synchronous orbit.