# Big Falcon Rocket > reusable space launch and spacecraft system proposed by SpaceX **Wikidata**: [Q41305015](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41305015) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Falcon_Rocket) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/big-falcon-rocket ## Summary The **Big Falcon Rocket (BFR)** was a reusable space launch and spacecraft system proposed by SpaceX, designed as a fully reusable launch vehicle to facilitate deep space exploration. Comprising the **Big Falcon Booster (BFB)** and the **Big Falcon Spaceship (BFS)**, this two-stage vehicle was engineered to lower launch costs by recovering and flying all hardware components. Although initially conceptualized as the successor to the Interplanetary Transport System, the project was eventually abandoned and superseded by the **Starship** system. ## Key Facts - **Official Name:** Big Falcon Rocket (BFR); also colloquially referred to as the "Big Fucking Rocket." - **Developer & Manufacturer:** SpaceX (Country of Origin: United States). - **Classification:** Subclass of **reusable launch vehicle**; Instance of "vehicle family" and "abandoned project." - **Project Status:** Abandoned; replaced by **Starship**. - **Predecessor:** Replaced the **Interplanetary Transport System**. - **Mass:** Approximately 5,000 tonnes. - **Components:** Composed of the **Big Falcon Booster (BFB)** (booster stage) and the **Big Falcon Spaceship (BFS)** (spacecraft stage). - **Etymology:** Named after the "BFG" (Big Fucking Gun/Friendly Gun) concept. - **Identifiers:** Google Knowledge Graph ID `/g/11f11pjdj2`; Fandom Article ID `starship-spacex:Big_Falcon_Rocket`. - **Digital Footprint:** Active on 6 sitelinks (Wikipedia languages: ar, commons, de, en, fa, uk); Commons category: `BFR (rocket)`. ## FAQs ### What was the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR)? The BFR was a proposed, fully reusable space launch system developed by SpaceX consisting of a booster (BFB) and a spaceship (BFS). It was designed to replace the Interplanetary Transport System but was ultimately abandoned in favor of the Starship program. ### What are the components of the BFR system? The system consisted of two main parts: the **Big Falcon Booster (BFB)**, which served as the first-stage launch vehicle, and the **Big Falcon Spaceship (BFS)**, which functioned as the second-stage spacecraft. ### How does the BFR relate to SpaceX's Starship? The BFR is the direct predecessor to SpaceX's Starship. The BFR project was classified as an "abandoned project" in structured data and was officially replaced by the Starship development program. ### Why was it called the Big Falcon Rocket? The name "Big Falcon Rocket" (BFR) shares its initials with the "Big Fucking Rocket," an alias derived from the "BFG" (Big Fucking Gun) naming convention. Official documentation lists "Big Falcon Rocket" as the formal title. ## Why It Matters The Big Falcon Rocket represents a critical evolutionary step in SpaceX's architecture for interplanetary travel. As a subclass of the **reusable launch vehicle**, the BFR aimed to solve the primary economic barrier of spaceflight: the discarding of expensive hardware after a single use. By proposing a 5,000-tonne fully reusable system (both booster and spacecraft), the BFR sought to enable high-frequency launch cadences and drastically reduce costs, paving the way for ambitious missions such as Mars colonization. While the specific project was abandoned and replaced by Starship, the BFR established the engineering and conceptual foundation for the current generation of super-heavy-lift launch vehicles. ## Notable For - **Conceptual Shift:** Transitioning SpaceX's Mars colonization architecture from the conceptual Interplanetary Transport System to a more tangible, fully reusable vehicle family. - **Naming Convention:** Notable for its dual naming structure, utilizing the polite "Big Falcon Rocket" officially while acknowledging the "Big Fucking Rocket" alias rooted in pop culture ("BFG"). - **Scale:** Being designed with a total mass of 5,000 tonnes, categorizing it as a super-heavy-lift launch vehicle. - **Full Reusability:** Distinguishing itself from partially reusable systems (like the Falcon 9 or Space Shuttle) by aiming for full recovery of both the booster and spacecraft stages. ## Body ### Definition and Classification The **Big Falcon Rocket (BFR)** is defined as a reusable space launch and spacecraft system proposed by SpaceX. In ontological terms, it is a subclass of a **reusable launch vehicle (RLV)**, which is a launch system designed to be partially or fully recovered and flown again. The BFR is explicitly classified as an "abandoned project" and a "vehicle family." It sits within the lineage of SpaceX launch vehicles, categorized as a successor to the **Interplanetary Transport System** and the direct predecessor to the **Starship**. ### Etymology and Naming The system is known by several names and aliases that reflect its development history: * **Official Name:** Big Falcon Rocket (BFR). * **Aliases:** "Big Fucking Rocket." * **Naming Origin:** The entity is explicitly named after "BFG." * **Component Naming:** * **Booster:** Referred to as the **Big Falcon Booster (BFB)**. * **Spacecraft:** Referred to as the **Big Falcon Spaceship (BFS)**. ### Technical Specifications and Architecture The BFR was designed as a two-stage-to-orbit system intended for full reusability. * **Total Mass:** The projected mass of the vehicle was **5,000 tonnes**. * **Reusability:** As a subclass of the reusable launch vehicle, the BFR aimed to incorporate design features allowing for the recovery and refurbishment of its stages, contrasting with expendable launch vehicles where hardware is lost after a single use. * **Structure:** The vehicle family included distinct hardware for launch (Booster) and orbital/space operations (Spaceship). ### Project History and Status The BFR was a proposed project by **SpaceX**, the United States-based manufacturer and developer. * **Predecessor:** The BFR took the place of the **Interplanetary Transport System** in SpaceX's long-term planning. * **Successor:** The project was eventually abandoned and replaced by the **Starship** system. * **Current Status:** Structured data identifies the BFR as an "abandoned project." ### Identifiers and Resources * **Wikimedia Commons:** Images and media related to the BFR are categorized under `BFR (rocket)`. A representative image is available via Wikimedia Commons (File Path: `BFR_(2017).png`). * **Google Knowledge Graph:** ID `/g/11f11pjdj2`. * **Wikipedia Presence:** The entity maintains sitelinks across 6 language editions (Arabic, Commons, German, English, Farsi, Ukrainian). ## References 1. [space.com](https://www.space.com/38393-spacex-bfr-mars-colony-rocket-name.html) 2. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20170807121037/http://www.spacex.com/media-gallery/detail/149426/9376) 3. [Source](https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-big-falcon-rocket-spaceship-booster-design-elon-musk-2018-9) 4. [Source](https://www.space.com/38393-spacex-bfr-mars-colony-rocket-name.html)