SpaceX’s Falcon rocket family is powered by Merlin engines.
The family includes Falcon 1 and Falcon 9, while Falcon Heavy uses a cluster of Falcon 9-derived cores. Merlin engines burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, a propellant combination known as RP-1/LOX. The engine family was developed by SpaceX for use on its launch vehicles.
Falcon 1 was a smaller two-stage rocket and became the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit in 2008. Falcon 9 then became SpaceX’s main orbital launcher, supporting satellite missions, cargo flights, and crewed spacecraft.
Falcon is often confused with Starship, SpaceX’s much larger next-generation launch system. Starship uses Raptor engines, not Merlin engines. Dragon is a spacecraft rather than a rocket family.