History of Falcon 9 in Timeline

Falcon 9 is a partially reusable, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle created by SpaceX. Its initial launch occurred on June 4, 2010, and it achieved a milestone by undertaking the first commercial resupply mission to the ISS on October 8, 2012. Notably, in 2020, it marked a historic moment as the first commercial rocket to send humans into orbit. Falcon 9 has gained recognition for its dependability and rapid launch frequency. It has completed 633 successful launches, along with two in-flight failures, one partial failure, and one pre-flight destruction.

October 2005: Falcon 9 Launch Plans Announced

In October 2005, SpaceX announced its plans to launch Falcon 9 in the first half of 2007.

2005: Proceeding with Falcon 9 Announcement

In 2005, SpaceX announced that it was proceeding with Falcon 9, a fully reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle, and had already secured a government customer.

2005: v1.0 Development Start

The expendable launch vehicle F9 v1.0 was developed from 2005 to 2010.

2006: COTS Program Milestone Payments

In 2006, Milestone-specific payments were provided under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The NASA contract was structured as a Space Act Agreement (SAA) for commercial orbital transportation service.

2007: SLC-40 Operational

Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida became operational in 2007 as a Falcon 9 orbital launch site.

2007: Initial Launch Date Target

SpaceX initially targeted the first half of 2007 for the launch of Falcon 9, as announced in October 2005.

January 2008: First Multi-Engine Test

In January 2008, SpaceX completed the first multi-engine test, firing two engines simultaneously connected to the first stage.

February 2008: Demonstration Flight Date Slip

In February 2008, the first demonstration flight date slipped into the first quarter of 2009 due to complexity and regulatory requirements.

September 2008: Original First Demonstration Flight Target

The original NASA COTS contract targeted September 2008 for the first demonstration flight.

November 2008: Nine Engine Test-Fire

In November 2008, successive tests led to a 178-second (mission length), nine engine test-fire.

2008: CRS Contract Awarded

In 2008, SpaceX won a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program to deliver cargo to ISS using Falcon 9/Dragon.

September 2009: Original Demonstration Mission Completion Target

The original NASA COTS contract targeted completion of all three demonstration missions by September 2009.

October 2009: First Flight-Ready All-Engine Test Fire

In October 2009, the first flight-ready all-engine test fire was conducted at its test facility in McGregor, Texas.

January 2010: Second Stage Orbit-Insertion Firing

In January 2010, a 329-second (mission length) orbit-insertion firing of the second stage was conducted at McGregor.

February 2010: Arrival at Launch Site

At the beginning of February 2010, the elements of the Falcon 9 arrived at the launch site for integration.

June 4, 2010: First Falcon 9 Launch

On June 4, 2010, the first Falcon 9 launch occurred. This marked the initial flight of the partially reusable, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX.

December 2010: Production Rate

In December 2010, the SpaceX production line manufactured a Falcon 9 (and Dragon spacecraft) every three months.

2010: v1.0 Flights

From 2010, the v1.0 version of Falcon 9 flew until 2013, marking the initial operational phase of the rocket.

2010: Falcon 9 Maiden Flight Price

In 2010, at the time of the Falcon 9's maiden flight, the advertised price for commercial satellite launches using the v1.0 version was $49.9–56 million.

2010: First Falcon 9 Launch

The initial launch of the Falcon 9 ultimately occurred in 2010, later than the originally planned 2007 date.

2011: Reusable Falcon 9 Development

In 2011, SpaceX began a formal development program for a reusable Falcon 9, initially focusing on the first stage.

2011: Falcon 9 v1.0 Development Cost Estimate

In 2011, SpaceX estimated that the Falcon 9 v1.0 development costs were approximately US$300 million.

February 2012: Powered Descent Design Completion

By February 2012, SpaceX had completed the design for powered descent, eliminating the use of parachutes.

October 8, 2012: First Commercial Resupply Mission to ISS

On October 8, 2012, the first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was launched by Falcon 9.

October 2012: CRS-1 Partial Success

In October 2012, the CRS-1 mission experienced an engine failure at 79 seconds into the flight. Despite this, the mission was partially successful. The first stage burned longer, and NASA declined SpaceX's request to restart the second stage, resulting in the secondary payload's reentry into the atmosphere.

2012: Price Increase to $54-59.5 Million

By 2012, the price for commercial satellite launches with the Falcon 9 rose to $54–59.5 million, reflecting inflation.

March 2013: Powered Descent on Every Booster

In March 2013, SpaceX announced that every booster would be equipped for powered descent, starting with the first v1.1 flight.

July 2013: First Stage Development Testing Complete

In July 2013, the development testing of the first stage of the Falcon 9 was completed.

September 2013: Manufacturing Space Increase

By September 2013, SpaceX's total manufacturing space had increased to nearly 93,000 m, in order to support a production capacity of 40 rocket cores annually.

September 2013: First Controlled Atmospheric Entry

In September 2013, during Flight 6, the first stage made a controlled entry into the atmosphere after stage separation. However, the RCS thrusters couldn't overcome an aerodynamically induced spin during the final landing burn, leading to early engine shutdown and a hard splashdown.

September 2013: First Flight of the Developed First Stage

In September 2013, the developed first stage of the Falcon 9 had its first flight.

September 2013: First Flight of V1.1

In September 2013, the much larger V1.1 made its first flight. The demonstration mission carried a small 500 kg primary payload, the CASSIOPE satellite.

November 2013: One Falcon 9 Per Month

As of November 2013, the SpaceX factory was producing one Falcon 9 per month.

2013: Beginning of Test Flights

From 2013 to 2016, SpaceX conducted sixteen test flights of the Falcon 9 first stage, six of which resulted in a soft landing and booster recovery.

2013: DSCOVR Mission Cost

In 2013, the DSCOVR mission for NOAA, launched aboard a Falcon 9, cost $97 million.

2013: v1.1 Version Price: $56.5 Million

In 2013, the price for a Falcon 9 launch with the v1.1 version was $56.5 million.

2013: v1.1 Flights

In 2013, the v1.1 version of Falcon 9 began flights and continued until 2016, featuring improvements over the original design.

2013: Fairing Testing Completed

In spring 2013, testing of the Falcon 9 payload fairing was completed at NASA's Plum Brook Station facility, where launch conditions were simulated on a full-size test article in a vacuum chamber.

2013: SLC-4E Operational

Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) of Vandenberg Space Force Base in California became operational in 2013 as a Falcon 9 orbital launch site.

March 2014: SpaceX Pricing and Payload Specifications for v1.1

As of March 2014, SpaceX pricing and payload specifications published for v1.1 included about 30% more performance than the published price list indicated. SpaceX reserved the additional performance to perform reusability testing.

2014: Second-Stage Reusability Abandoned

By late 2014, SpaceX abandoned efforts to make the second stage reusable, determining that the mass needed for a heat shield, landing engines, and other equipment was prohibitive.

2014: Combined Development Costs Released

In 2014, SpaceX released combined development costs for Falcon 9 and Dragon, with NASA providing US$396 million and SpaceX providing over US$450 million.

2014: Price Increases to $61.2 Million

In 2014, the price for a Falcon 9 launch increased to $61.2 million.

January 2015: First ASDS Landing Attempt

In January 2015, during the CRS-5 mission, the booster attempted the first landing on the ASDS floating platform. The rocket successfully guided itself to the ship but ran out of hydraulic fluid, crashing into the platform.

April 2015: Second ASDS Landing Attempt

In April 2015, during the CRS-6 mission, a second landing attempt was made on the ASDS. The bipropellant valve became stuck, preventing the control system from reacting rapidly enough for a successful landing.

December 2015: First Successful Booster Landing

In December 2015, Falcon 9 achieved its first successful landing of the booster stage, a crucial step towards the rocket's reusability.

December 2015: First Flight of Full Thrust

In December 2015, The Falcon 9 Full Thrust made its first flight, the first stage of which was reusable.

2015: v1.2 Full Thrust First Launch

In 2015, the v1.2 Full Thrust version of Falcon 9 was first launched, encompassing the Block 5 variant, which has been in operation since May 2018.

February 2016: Falcon 9 Core Production Rate Increase

By February 2016, the production rate for Falcon 9 cores had increased to 18 per year, and the number of first stage cores that could be assembled at one time reached six.

April 2016: First Successful ASDS Landing

In April 2016, during CRS-8, the first successful booster landing on an ASDS occurred on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You.

April 2016: CRS-8 Mission

In April 2016, the CRS-8 mission led to the first operational relaunch of a previously flown booster, which was B1021, on the SES-10 mission in March 2017.

October 2016: Block 5 Refinements Described

In October 2016, Elon Musk described Block 5 as coming with many minor refinements that collectively are important, but uprated thrust and improved legs are the most significant.

2016: Test Flight Period Ends

From 2013 to 2016, SpaceX conducted sixteen test flights of the Falcon 9 first stage, six of which resulted in a soft landing and booster recovery.

2016: Falcon 9 booster public display

In 2016, SpaceX put the first Falcon 9 booster to successfully land (B1019) on public display at their headquarters in Hawthorne, California.

2016: Full Thrust Version Price: $62 Million

In 2016, the price for a Falcon 9 Full Thrust version launch was $62 million.

2016: End of v1.1 Flights

The v1.1 version of Falcon 9 ended flights in 2016.

January 2017: Block 5 Performance and Reusability Improvements

In January 2017, Elon Musk added that Block 5 significantly improves performance and ease of reusability.

January 2017: Iridium NEXT LEO Mission

In January 2017, booster B1029 carried the Iridium NEXT LEO mission before being reused to carry BulgariaSat-1 towards GTO in June 2017.

January 2017: High Landing Success Rate Begins

Since January 2017, most landing attempts have been successful, excluding the Falcon Heavy test flight center core, the Falcon Heavy USAF STP-2 mission, the Falcon 9 CRS-16 resupply mission, and the Starlink-4, 5, and 19 missions.

February 2017: First Operational Launch Utilizing AFSS

In February 2017, the CRS-10 launch was the first operational launch utilizing Autonomous Flight Safety System (AFSS).

March 2017: First Fairing Half Recovered

In March 2017, following the SES-10 mission, a payload fairing half was recovered after a soft landing in the ocean. The fairings were equipped with steerable parachutes and RCS thrusters.

March 2017: First Relaunch of a Flown Booster

In March 2017, the first operational relaunch of a previously flown booster was accomplished with B1021 on the SES-10 mission, after the CRS-8 mission in April 2016. It was later retired after landing a second time.

March 2017: First Reflight

In March 2017, the first reflight of a Falcon 9 first stage occurred.

May 2017: NROL-76 and Inmarsat-5 F5 Launches

In May 2017, the NROL-76 and Inmarsat-5 F5 missions launched with a Block 4 second stage on top of a Block 3 first stage, as SpaceX started including incremental changes to the Full Thrust, internally dubbed Block 4.

June 2017: Reuse of Booster B1029

In June 2017, booster B1029 carried BulgariaSat-1 towards GTO after an Iridium NEXT LEO mission in January 2017, marking another instance of booster reuse and landing.

July 2017: Intelsat 35e Launch

In July 2017, the Intelsat 35e mission launched with a Block 4 second stage on top of a Block 3 first stage.

2017: Congressional Testimony on Development Costs

In 2017, Congressional testimony by SpaceX suggested that the unusual NASA process allowed SpaceX to complete the task at a substantially lower cost, with development costs of both Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets estimated at approximately $390 million in total.

2017: LC-39A Operational

Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida became operational in 2017 as a Falcon 9 orbital launch site.

May 11, 2018: Maiden Flight of Block 5

On May 11, 2018, the maiden flight of the Falcon 9 Block 5 took place with the Bangabandhu Satellite-1 satellite.

May 2018: First Flight of Block 5

In May 2018, the current version, known as Falcon 9 Block 5, made its first flight.

May 2018: Block 5 variant in operation

Since May 2018, the Block 5 variant has been in operation.

November 2018: Third Reuse Flight

In November 2018, the third reuse flight occurred on the SSO-A mission. Falcon 9 B1046, the first Block 5 booster, which had initially flown on the Bangabandhu Satellite-1 mission, was used for this flight.

2018: Routine First Stage Reuse

Since 2018, SpaceX has routinely reused first stages, reducing the demand for new cores.

2019: Falcon 9 donation

In 2019, SpaceX donated a Falcon 9 (B1035) to Space Center Houston, in Houston, Texas. It was a booster that flew two missions to the International Space Station.

2019: First Fairing Catches

In 2019, SpaceX's ship-based system involving a massive net began catching returning fairings, though after mixed success, SpaceX returned to water landings and wet recovery.

March 18, 2020: Engine Failure during Starlink Mission

On March 18, 2020, during a Starlink mission, one of the first stage engines failed 3 seconds before cut-off. The failure was due to the ignition of residual isopropyl alcohol after cleaning. The primary mission was not affected, but the landing attempt failed.

2020: U.S. Air Force Launch Costs

As of 2020, U.S. Air Force launches using the Falcon 9 cost $95 million due to added security requirements. In 2020, Roscosmos accused SpaceX of price dumping in the commercial marketplace due to higher prices charged to government customers.

2020: First Commercial Human Orbit Launch

In 2020, Falcon 9 became the first commercial rocket to launch humans into orbit, marking a significant milestone in commercial spaceflight.

January 24, 2021: Record for Most Satellites Launched

On January 24, 2021, a Falcon 9 rocket set a record for the most satellites launched by a single rocket, carrying 143 satellites into orbit.

February 15, 2021: Engine Failure Due to Exhaust Gas Leak

On February 15, 2021, during another Starlink mission, hot exhaust gasses entered an engine due to a fatigue-related hole in its cover. SpaceX noted that the failed cover had the highest number of flights for that design. This caused an engine failure and a failed landing attempt.

May 2021: First Booster Reaches 10 Missions

In May 2021, the first booster reached 10 missions. SpaceX indicated their plan to continue flying boosters until they observe a failure in Starlink missions.

2021: Falcon Heavy side booster donation

In 2021, SpaceX donated a Falcon Heavy side booster (B1023) to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

2021: Transporter Program Introduced

In 2021, SpaceX introduced the Transporter program, providing missions to sun-synchronous orbit primarily for Earth observation payloads. Launches typically occur every four months from Vandenberg.

2021: Introduction of Transporter Program

In 2021, SpaceX introduced the Transporter program, which provides missions to sun-synchronous orbit, with an inclination near 90°. These flights primarily serve Earth observation payloads and typically launch every four months from Vandenberg.

2023: Increased Launch Cadence

In 2023, SpaceX performed 91 launches of Falcon 9 with only 4 using new boosters and successfully recovered the booster on all flights. The Hawthorne factory continues to produce one (expendable) second stage for each launch.

2023: Falcon 9 public display

In 2023, a Falcon 9 (B1021) was put on public display outside Dish Network's headquarters in Littleton, Colorado.

July 2024: Falcon 9 Upper Stage Engine Malfunction

In July 2024, the upper stage engine of the Falcon 9 malfunctioned during the Starlink Group 9-3 mission launch, leading to the complete loss of the payload. The Federal Aviation Administration subsequently grounded the rocket for two weeks as a result of the malfunction.

August 2024: Falcon 9 Booster Landing Failure

In August 2024, a Falcon 9 booster tipped over and was destroyed during landing after a successful Starlink launch, marking SpaceX's first unsuccessful booster landing in over three years. The rocket was briefly grounded for two days following the landing failure.

September 2024: Second Upper Stage Engine Malfunction

In September 2024, following the successful launch of the Crew-9 mission, another malfunction occurred in the upper stage engine during a deorbit burn. This caused the stage to reenter outside its designed zone, leading to another grounding of the Falcon fleet. The anomaly happened just ten days before the planned launch of NASA's Europa Clipper mission.

2024: Estimated Internal Launch Costs

As of 2024, SpaceX's internal costs for a Falcon 9 launch are estimated between $15 million and $28 million, factoring in workforce expenses, refurbishment, assembly, operations, and facility depreciation. The second stage is believed to cost $12 million to produce.

2024: Commercial space as a key industry

In 2024, China's central government designated commercial space as a key industry for support, with the reusable medium-lift launchers being necessary to deploy China's planned low Earth orbit communications megaconstellations. Beijing Tianbing Technology company is developing Tianlong-3, which is benchmarked against Falcon 9.

2024: SLC-40 Upgraded for Crew Dragon Launches

In 2024, Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) was upgraded to accommodate Crew Dragon launches as a backup to LC-39A.

2024: Bandwagon Program Begins

In 2024, SpaceX's Bandwagon program began, providing access to mid-inclination orbits of about 45°, with missions operating roughly every six months from Cape Canaveral.

February 2025: Upper Stage Malfunction after Starlink Launch

In February 2025, after the launch of the Starlink Group 11-4 mission, another upper stage malfunction occurred, preventing the planned deorbit burn. The stage remained in orbit for two weeks before an uncontrolled reentry near Poznań, Poland. This was similar to the July 2024 failure.

March 2025: Falcon 9 Booster Loss After Landing

In March 2025, a Falcon 9 booster was lost after a droneship landing following a Starlink launch. The booster caught fire and tipped over, with the failure attributed to a fuel leak in one of the first stage engines during ascent.

2025: Launch pricing

As of 2025, SpaceX launch pricing begins at US$300,000 for 50 kg to SSO.

May 12, 2026: 598 Successful Falcon 9 Booster Landings

As of May 12, 2026, SpaceX had successfully landed Falcon 9 boosters 598 times, demonstrating the increasing reliability and reusability of the system.

2026: Block 5 Version Price: $74 Million

By 2026, the price for a Falcon 9 Block 5 version launch reached $74 million.

2028: Soyuz-7 development launch

The Russian space agency has launched the development of Soyuz-7 which shares many similarities with Falcon 9. The first launch is planned for 2028–2030.

2030: Soyuz-7 development launch

The Russian space agency has launched the development of Soyuz-7 which shares many similarities with Falcon 9. The first launch is planned for 2028–2030.