Sylvie Willis
The Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket manufactured by Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), which uses liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) as propellants. The rocket's nine Merlin engines consume 3,200 lbs of fuel per second at full power. The Falcon 9 has been in use since 2010, with the introduction of the Falcon 9 v1.0, and has achieved a high success rate of 99.4% as of July 22, 2025. SpaceX has continued to develop and improve the Falcon 9, with the introduction of the Falcon 9 v1.1 in 2011 and the Falcon 9 Full Thrust Version (Block 5) currently in use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of engines | 9 |
| Engine type | Merlin |
| Fuel | Liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) |
| Fuel mixture | 39% RP-1, 61% liquid oxygen |
| Fuel consumption at full power | 3,200 lbs of fuel per second |
| Fuel consumption at full power (RP-1) | 1,248 lbs per second |
| Fuel consumption at full power (liquid oxygen) | 1,952 lbs per second |
| Fuel consumption at full power (total) | 561.46279 gallons per second |
| First stage fuel consumption | 45,419g of LOX and 27,002g of RP-1 |
| First stage fuel mileage | 0.0066 miles per gallon or 150.72 gallons per mile |
| Total fuel capacity | 64,000 gallons |
| Liquid oxygen capacity | 39,000 gallons |
| Rocket-grade kerosene capacity | 25,000 gallons |
| Total thrust at liftoff | 1.323 million pounds |
| First stage thrust | 1.71 million pounds |
| Second stage thrust | 210,000 pounds |
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What You'll Learn
- The Falcon 9 uses liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene as propellants
- The rocket burns 3,200 lbs of fuel per second at full power
- The first stage of the Falcon 9 uses 45,419g of liquid oxygen and 27,002g of kerosene
- The second stage ignites at 2 minutes and 48 seconds after launch
- The Falcon 9 Full Thrust Version has denser fuel and an extended fuel tank
The Falcon 9 uses liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene as propellants
The Falcon 9 rocket, manufactured by SpaceX, uses liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) as propellants. SpaceX has successfully landed Falcon 9 boosters 462 times as of July 2025, with individual boosters flying as many as 29 flights.
Liquid oxygen is crucial to the Falcon 9's launch sequence, which includes a hold-down feature that allows full engine ignition and systems check before liftoff. The Falcon 9's nine engines consumed 3,200 lbs of fuel and liquid oxygen per second at full power, generating almost 850,000 pounds of thrust.
RP-1 is a refined form of kerosene with a relatively narrow mix of hydrocarbons. It is used as a coolant and piped along the walls of the combustion chamber before entering it. Kerosene was chosen over diesel fuel because common diesel is more prone to polymerization and thermal breakdown, which can cause issues with plumbing and engine temperatures.
The Falcon 9's Merlin rocket engines are controlled by three voting computers, each with 2 CPUs that constantly check the other two. The propellant tank walls and domes are made from an aluminium-lithium alloy, chosen for its strength and reliability.
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The rocket burns 3,200 lbs of fuel per second at full power
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is a launch vehicle designed to transport cargo and humans into space. The rocket has nine engines, which, at full power, consume 3,200 lbs of fuel per second. This fuel consumption is necessary to generate almost 850,000 lbs of thrust.
The Falcon 9 rocket uses a mixture of liquid oxygen (LOX) and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) as propellants. At full power, the engines burn approximately 4,638 gallons of RP-1 and 18,597 gallons of LOX per second. This fuel mixture is essential to power the rocket and enable it to carry out its missions successfully.
The high fuel efficiency of the Falcon 9 rocket is a result of the powerful Merlin engines and the innovative design. The nine engines are enclosed in a protective sheath, ensuring that any issues with one engine do not affect the rest. This design allows the rocket to complete its mission even in the event of an engine loss, similar to a commercial airliner.
The Falcon 9 rocket has had a successful track record, with a high mission success rate. As of July 22, 2025, Falcon 9 had achieved 503 out of 506 full mission successes, a remarkable achievement. However, there have been some anomalies and failures, often attributed to fuel leaks or issues with the liquid oxygen tank. Despite these challenges, SpaceX continues to innovate and improve the Falcon 9 design, making it a reliable and powerful tool for space exploration.
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The first stage of the Falcon 9 uses 45,419g of liquid oxygen and 27,002g of kerosene
The Falcon 9 is a two-stage-to-orbit rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX. It has been noted for its reliability and high launch cadence, with 503 successful launches, two in-flight failures, one partial failure, and one pre-flight destruction. The rocket has two stages: the first (or booster) stage, and the second stage.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 uses 45,419 grams of liquid oxygen and 27,002 grams of kerosene. This combination of liquid oxygen and kerosene is often referred to as rocket fuel, and the kerosene is specifically a refined form known as RP-1 or RG-1 in Russian engines. RP-1 is a refined form of kerosene containing a relatively narrow mix of hydrocarbons. It is used as a coolant and a propellant, piped along the walls of the combustion chamber before entering it.
The Falcon 9's first stage engines consume 3,200 pounds (lbs) of fuel and liquid oxygen per second and generate almost 850,000 lbs of thrust. The first stage carries the second stage and payload to a predetermined speed and altitude, after which the second stage separates and takes over, accelerating the payload to its target orbit.
The use of kerosene in rockets has been a subject of discussion, with some suggesting alternatives like liquid hydrogen, diesel, or liquid methane. However, kerosene has been refined to minimize residue and improve engine reusability, which is a significant factor for SpaceX.
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The second stage ignites at 2 minutes and 48 seconds after launch
The Falcon 9 is a rocket manufactured by the US aerospace company SpaceX, which was founded in 2002 with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets. The Falcon 9 rocket has nine engines that consume 3,200 lbs of fuel per second at full power. The rocket uses a mixture of cryogenic liquid oxygen (LOX) and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) as propellants.
The second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket ignites at 2 minutes and 48 seconds after launch, at a velocity of 7,777 km/s, or 4,832 mph. The second stage is powered by a SpaceX Merlin engine, the same type of engine used in the first stage. The second stage continues to burn fuel until 9 minutes and 6 seconds after launch, at which point it has reached a velocity of 27,144 km/s, or 16,866 mph.
The second stage of the Falcon 9 is responsible for accelerating the payload to its target orbit. The payload of the Falcon 9 is restricted to 10,886 kg (24,000 lb) due to the structural limit of the payload adapter fitting (PAF). However, the heaviest confirmed payload delivered by the Falcon 9 was 17,400 kg.
The second stage ignition of the Falcon 9 is a critical part of the rocket's mission. It is during this stage that the payload is accelerated to its target orbit, and the success of the mission depends on the second stage delivering the payload to the correct orbit.
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The Falcon 9 Full Thrust Version has denser fuel and an extended fuel tank
The Falcon 9 Full Thrust is an upgraded version of the original Falcon 9 rocket, featuring enhanced engine performance and improved fuel efficiency. The Full Thrust variant includes a number of improvements over the previous version, including upgraded engines, extended fuel tanks, and improved avionics and software.
The extended fuel tanks on the Full Thrust version are 60% longer than the original Falcon 9, providing a significant increase in fuel capacity. This allows the rocket to carry larger payloads and enables more flexible mission profiles. The denser fuel utilised in the Full Thrust version also contributes to enhanced performance. The fuel density is higher than that of the standard RP-1 fuel, which improves the rocket's energy output and thrust.
The combination of extended fuel tanks and denser fuel enables the Falcon 9 Full Thrust to deliver payloads of up to 20,000 lb (9,000 kg) to low Earth orbit (LEO). This represents a significant increase in payload capacity compared to the previous version of the Falcon 9, which had a maximum payload capacity of 13,150 kg (28,990 lb). The enhanced capabilities of the Full Thrust version have expanded the range of missions that can be undertaken, including the delivery of heavier payloads to higher orbits.
The Falcon 9 Full Thrust's first stage uses nine Merlin engines, each consuming approximately 3,200 lbs of fuel per second at full power. The total fuel mixture burned is approximately 561 gallons per second during the first stage of operation. The denser fuel and extended fuel tanks contribute to the overall improved performance and payload capabilities of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket system.
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Frequently asked questions
Falcon 9 uses 3,200 lbs of fuel per second at full power. This includes 1,248 lbs of RP-1 (Rocket-grade kerosene) and 1,952 lbs of LOX (Liquid oxygen).
Falcon 9 carries about 39,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and about 25,000 gallons of rocket-grade kerosene, totalling 64,000 gallons of fuel mixture.
The first stage fuel-mixture mileage is 0.0066 miles per gallon, or 150.72 gallons per mile.
Falcon 9 burns 561.46279 gallons of fuel per second in the first stage.
Falcon 9 produces a total liftoff thrust of about 1.1 million pounds in the first stage and 125,000 pounds in the second stage, totalling 1.71 million pounds.
