SpaceX launched its first Falcon 9 rocket on June 4, 2010. Since then it has gone through five major revisions, leading to the current Block 5 model that is used to launch satellites, robotic planetary missions and astronauts. The most launched U.S. rocket in history, of its 500th missions, all but five were successful.

The Starlink 10-25 mission launched at 2:28 a.m. July 2 from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40. The Falcon 9 booster saw its 29th flight.

Taking what it’s learned from the Falcon 9, SpaceX has designed its next-generation and much more powerful Starship rocket to also be fully reusable. It’s already demonstrated the ability to bring home the Starship first stage, though the vehicle still has much testing to undergo before it becomes operational.

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An early Wednesday morning launch on the Space Coast marked the 500th time SpaceX has flown its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, reusing the fleet-leading first stage booster for a record 29th time.

Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a payload of Starlink broadband satellites on mission 10-25. The rocket launched at 2:28 a.m. EDT Wednesday, July 2 from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.