SpaceX currently operates the reusable Falcon 9 Block 5 and Falcon Heavy rockets, both powered by Merlin engines and capable of vertical landings, while developing the fully reusable Starship system to eventually replace them. The company's journey began with the Falcon 1, which made history on September 28, 2008, as the first privately funded, liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit, despite suffering several earlier failures. The Falcon 9 family evolved rapidly, starting with the v1.0 in 2010 (developed for NASA and USAF programs), followed by the v1.1 in 2013, the Full Thrust in 2015, and the heavy-lift Falcon Heavy in 2018. These rockets are named after the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, a nod to CEO Elon Musk's inspiration. The Falcon 1 was retired after its fifth launch in 2009, allowing SpaceX to focus on the larger Falcon 9, which now launches from multiple sites in Florida and California.