Support Equipment

Falcon 9

Also known as
  • F9
  • Falcon 9 Block 5
  • Falcon 9 Full Thrust
  • Falcon 9 v1.0
  • Falcon 9 v1.1

Falcon 9 is SpaceX's reusable two-stage orbital rocket built in the United States for crew and payload missions to orbit. GPS.gov's launch archive records Falcon 9 launching the GPS III Space Vehicle 05 mission, and SpaceX's own vehicle and launch-service guides describe the rocket as a LOX/RP-1 system with a reusable first stage.

Falcon 9, Reusable two-stage orbital rocket, Support Equipment
Image source: Falcon 9 NG-20 Launch (8217536).jpg
Profile / Specs

Specifications

Height
70 m (229.6 ft) with standard fairing; 75.2 m (246.7 ft) with extended fairing
Diameter
3.66 m (12 ft)
Propellant
Liquid oxygen and RP-1
First stage
9 Merlin 1D engines
Second stage
1 Merlin Vacuum engine
Payload to LEO
22,800 kg
Payload to GTO
8,300 kg
Launched Satellites

GPS.gov documents Falcon 9 launching GPS III Space Vehicle 05 and links the GPS III Space Vehicle 04 and 03 mission videos.

Launched itemItem typeLaunch evidence
Global Positioning System III / GPS Block III, Military navigation satellite family, Support EquipmentGlobal Positioning System III / GPS Block IIIMilitary navigation satellite family

GPS.gov says Falcon 9 launched the GPS III Space Vehicle 05 mission and links the GPS III Space Vehicle 04 and 03 mission videos in the same launch archive.

Sources: Videos | GPS.gov

Media

Falcon 9 Images

Falcon 9, Reusable two-stage orbital rocket, Support Equipment - view 1
Source: Falcon 9 Polaris Dawn Launch (8634899).jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Global Positioning System III / GPS Block III, Military navigation satellite family, Support EquipmentSupport EquipmentGlobal Positioning System III / GPS Block IIIMilitary navigation satellite familyGlobal Positioning System III / GPS Block III is the Lockheed Martin-built U.S. military navigation-satellite family that modernizes the GPS constellation with M-code, the L1C civil signal, improved accuracy, and stronger anti-jamming performance. It is the generation launched from 2018 onward before the GPS III Follow-On line, and it serves as a precision position, navigation, and timing space vehicle rather than a battlefield weapon in the catalog sense.
LAU-118/A missile launcher, Reusable single-rail aircraft missile launcher, Support EquipmentSupport EquipmentLAU-118/A missile launcherReusable single-rail aircraft missile launcherThe LAU-118/A missile launcher is a reusable U.S. aircraft launcher for the AGM-88 HARM that provides the missile's mechanical and electrical interface with the host aircraft. Air Force and Federal Register sources describe it as HARM launch hardware for aircraft such as the F-16 and F/A-18, while Navy documentation describes a reusable launcher family with structural fairings, tracks, suspension lugs, insert plugs, and internal electrical components.

Sources

Falcon 9 | SpaceXPublisher: SpaceX | Note: Supports Falcon 9 manufacturer background and SpaceX's official description of the vehicle as a reusable two-stage orbital rocket. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Falcon Payload User's GuidePublisher: SpaceX | Note: Supports Falcon 9 height, diameter, propellant, Merlin engine count, and stage layout. | Accessed: 2026-06-27CAPABILITIES & SERVICES - SpaceXPublisher: SpaceX | Note: Supports Falcon 9 published launch-service pricing and payload-to-orbit figures. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Videos | GPS.govPublisher: GPS.gov | Note: Supports GPS III Falcon 9 launch archive context, including the GPS III Space Vehicle 05 mission and the linked GPS III Space Vehicle 04 and 03 mission videos. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Falcon 9 NG-20 Launch (8217536).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports provenance for the primary Falcon 9 launch image used on this page. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Falcon 9 Polaris Dawn Launch (8634899).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports provenance for the secondary Falcon 9 gallery image used on this page. | Accessed: 2026-06-27