SpaceX completes record 29th launch and landing of a Falcon 9 booster

On July 2, 2025, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket into space to deploy Starlink satellites and completed a record 29th launch and landing of the first stage. SpaceX sent the latest installment of Starlink to orbit with the B1067 booster, which has achieved this record-breaking feat in reusability.

Prior to this new mission, the rocket has supported important launches including: CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, O3B mPOWER-A, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Merah Putih 2, Galileo L13, Koreasat-6A, and now 18 Starlink missions.

Reusability is at the core of the Falcon 9 rocket, which has delivered an immense amount of mass into orbit and human missions via the Dragon spacecraft. However, its design is a key component, which continues to get better with each launch.

Falcon 9 delivers 27 @Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida and completes the first 29th launch and landing of an orbital class rocket pic.twitter.com/KacjHeleXm

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 2, 2025

This launch vehicle consists of two stages; combined they stand at 70 meters in height and 3.7 meters in diameter.

The first stage does all of the lifting and sends the second stage to space. It has nine Merlin engines and aluminum-lithium alloy tannks using liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellant. The first stage produces 1.7 million pounds of thrust at the liftoff.

Unlike stage 2, the 1st stage is fully reusable and returns to Earth to perform a landing on a target location or a droneship stationed in the sea. Before touchdown, the rocket deploys its landing legs and performs a final burn to slow down.

The first stage has been crucial to support SpaceX’s rapid launch schedule with fast turnaround.