Falcon 9 will surpass NASA’s Space Shuttle's record, Elon Musk claims

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is on the verge of making history, with CEO Elon Musk claiming it will achieve a record-breaking milestone that surpasses NASA’s legendary Space Shuttle programme.

Responding to a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk confirmed the achievement, writing, “As is pointed out, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will do more launches and carry more payload to orbit this year than the Space Shuttle did in its entire history.”

The original post compared Falcon 9’s growing success to NASA’s retired Space Shuttle fleet, noting that SpaceX’s reusable rocket system is expected to launch more times in 2025 alone than the Shuttle managed during its entire 30-year run.

The announcement comes just as SpaceX prepares for another Falcon 9 launch scheduled for Saturday (October 25), from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, marking the company’s sixth launch this month from Southern California alone.

The rocket will take off from Launch Complex 4E, following a southeast trajectory, and skywatchers across Arizona may even spot the rocket’s bright trail in the early morning hours.

The Falcon 9’s historic run also comes amid renewed tension between Musk and a senior Trump administration official over NASA’s leadership, further fueling speculation about Musk’s growing influence in the space race.