tech
A Falcon 9 booster turns 5 years old—and just set a remarkable reuse record
We take the Falcon 9 rocket for granted. But we probably shouldn’t.
TL;DR
- Falcon 9 booster B 1067 has completed its 35th mission, launching 29 Starlink satellites.
- This milestone makes B 1067 the fleet leader for SpaceX and progresses towards the goal of 40 missions per booster.
- The Falcon 9's reusability and high launch cadence are credited with SpaceX's success, international launch dominance, Starlink deployment, and current valuation.
- SpaceX's valuation, targeted at $1.75 trillion for its IPO, is predicated on future successes like Starship, but is built upon the proven capabilities of the Falcon 9.
- In the time B 1067 has flown 35 times, competitor United Launch Alliance has completed 29 total launches with its Atlas V, Vulcan, and Delta IV Heavy rockets.