Falcon 9 Block 5

Falcon 9 Block 5
	Bangabandhu-1 was the first payload launched by Falcon 9 Block 5
Function	Medium-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer	SpaceX
Country of origin	United States
Cost per launch	US$69.75 million (2024)
Size
Height	69.8 m (229 ft) with payload fairing; 65.7 m (216 ft) with Dragon 2;
Diameter	3.7 m (12 ft)
Mass	549,000 kg (1,210,000 lb)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Orbital inclination	28.5°
Mass	Expended: 22,800 kg (50,300 lb); Reusable: 18,500 kg (40,800 lb);
Payload to GTO
Orbital inclination	27°
Mass	Expended: 8,300 kg (18,300 lb); Reusable: 5,500 kg (12,100 lb);
Payload to TMI
Mass	4,000 kg (8,800 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Falcon 9
Based on	Falcon 9 Full Thrust
Comparable	Ariane 5; Atlas V; Long March 3B/E; Proton-M;
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Cape Canaveral, SLC-40; Kennedy, LC-39A; Vandenberg, SLC-4; Vandenberg, SLC-6 (planned);
Total launches	435
Success(es)	434
Failure(s)	1 (Starlink Group 9‑3)
Landings	437 / 443 attempts
First flight	11 May 2018 (Bangabandhu-1)
Carries passengers or cargo	SpaceX Dragon; Starlink; OneWeb; Iridium NEXT; Transporter & Bandwagon; DART; Euclid; Galileo; GPS Block IIIA; IXPE; KPLO; Nova-C; PACE; Hera; WorldView Legion; O3b mPOWER; SPHEREx; PUNCH;
First stage
Height	41.2 m (135 ft)
Powered by	9 × Merlin 1D
Maximum thrust	7,600 kN (1,700,000 lbf)
Propellant	LOX / RP-1
Second stage (standard)
Height	13.8 m (45 ft 3 in)
Powered by	1 × Merlin 1D Vacuum
Maximum thrust	934 kN (210,000 lbf)
Propellant	LOX / RP-1
Second stage (short nozzle)
Height	13.6 m (44 ft 7 in)
Powered by	1 × Merlin 1D Vacuum
Maximum thrust	840 kN (190,000 lbf)
Propellant	LOX / RP-1

Falcon 9 Block 5 is a partially reusable, human-rated, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured in the United States by SpaceX. It is the fifth major version of the Falcon 9 family and the third version of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust. It is powered by Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX).

The main changes from Block 3 (the original Falcon 9 Full Thrust) to Block 5 are higher-thrust engines and improvements to the landing legs along with numerous other small changes to streamline recovery and re-use of first-stage boosters and increase the production rate. Each Block 5 booster is designed to fly ten times with only minor maintenance between launches and potentially up to 100 times with periodic refurbishment.

In 2018, Block 5 succeeded the transitional Block 4 version. The maiden flight of the Block 5 launched the satellite Bangabandhu-1 on May 11, 2018. The CRS-15 mission on June 29, 2018, was the last to be launched on a Block 4 rocket, completing the transition to an all-Block 5 fleet.