Falcon 9

Rare card · No. 32987

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 696 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. 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, a feat which was first achieved on flight 20 in December 2015. Additionally, the fairing halves are scooped out of water after...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Philip Terry Graham, Public domain