Falcon 9
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Falcon 9 is the name of a two-stage US launcher that was developed and is used by the space company SpaceX for orbital payloads of up to 23 tons. It was originally based on the smaller Falcon 1 , but uses a different engine in the second stage and nine engines instead of one in the first stage. The Falcon Heavy was derived from the Falcon 9 , a heavy-duty rocket with two additional boosters for payloads of up to 64 tons. The Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are constantly evolving; every copy built is unique.
As part of NASA's CRS ( Commercial Resupply Services ) program , the rocket is used in conjunction with the Dragon spaceship to supply the International Space Station . The rocket is mainly used for the launch of satellites . The first launch of a Dragon took place in June 2010. In May 2020, the Crew Dragon capsule was used for the first time with astronauts to the ISS as part of the CCDev program.
The Falcon 9 is partially reusable. The first stage (booster stage) can land on a floating platform in the ocean after decoupling the second stage or after a return flight near the launch site with one or three engines. For this purpose, it has fold-out landing legs as well as grid fins and cold gas engines as additional control elements. The first successful landing was on December 21, 2015 (local time, December 22, UTC ) in Cape Canaveral. A first stage that had already been flown was used again for the first time after the launch of the SES-10 satellite on March 30, 2017. On May 30, 2020, this rocket brought two astronauts in a Crew Dragon capsule from Cape Canaveral to the ISS. This was the first manned US space mission since the space shuttle program.
history
In September 2005, SpaceX announced that it wanted to develop an even more powerful, fully reusable launcher called the Falcon 9 in addition to the Falcon 1 and the planned, fully reusable Falcon 5 .
V1.0
The first stage of the Falcon 9 version 1.0 (9 v1.0) used nine Merlin-1C engines in a square arrangement, the second stage a single Merlin-1C equipped with an extended exhaust nozzle. The rocket with its nine engines can be controlled in every flight phase of the lower stage even if one engine fails. On June 4, 2010, after many delays from Cape Canaveral ( LC40 ), the successful maiden flight of the Falcon 9 took place. It reached Earth orbit and carried out the separation from the first stage. The payload capacity of the first version of the Falcon 9 v1.0 was around 10,000 kg for a low orbit (LEO).
V1.1
Version 1.0 was replaced by the more powerful version v1.1 after just five starts . The more powerful Merlin 1D engines were used for this expansion stage. Due to the higher thrust, more fuel could now be carried. In order to accommodate this, the tanks of the first and second stage were extended. The engines of the first stage have now been grouped in a ring of eight engines around a central engine; SpaceX calls this arrangement the Octaweb . This version could carry around 13,000 kg in a LEO and 5,000 kg in a GTO , although it was unclear whether these values include the loss of payload when the first stage is reused. With this version, attempts were made for the first time to land the first stage in a controlled manner after the separation from the upper stage; however, these attempts failed.
V1.2 / Full Thrust
In the course of 2015, further improvements to the Falcon 9 were finally announced. The Merlin 1D engines were increased in thrust, which in turn increased the fuel capacity. This is achieved on the one hand through subcooling and thus higher density of the kerosene and liquid oxygen for both stages and on the other hand through enlarged tanks in the upper stage. This version was unofficially called v1.1 Full Thrust . In SpaceX publications, this version was also initially called simply Falcon 9; also the payload information did not differ from the v1.1 . In official FAA documents it was given the designation v1.2. The first take-off on December 21, 2015 after the false take-off in June 2015 was also the first take-off of this last expansion stage, the return flight and landing of the first successful successful for the first time. In 2016 there were eight take-offs and most landings by August.
Block 3
The Falcon 9 Full Thrust was further developed in several steps ( blocks ), with the Block 3 variant first becoming known. In 2017, 13 take-offs from Unit 3 and nine out of nine landings were made on land or on a drone ship. Two converted Block 3 first stages served as boosters on the first flight of the Falcon Heavy on February 6, 2018. On the 22nd of the same month, the last flight of Block 3 took place with the Paz take-off; then he was retired.
Block 4
Block 4 has been flying since summer 2017 and has some improvements compared to Block 3. Block 4 should be reused more often than Block 3. The first launch of a Falcon 9 Full Thrust Block 4 took place on August 14, 2017 with the Dragon supply mission CRS 12. New lattice fins made of titanium were introduced, which, due to manufacturing bottlenecks, were initially only used in combination with a Falcon 9FT Block 3 on the Iridium 2 mission and the first Falcon Heavy flight in order to demonstrate the higher efficiency and durability. The titanium mesh fins are larger and therefore more efficient. Thanks to the titanium used , the grid fins can be reused almost infinitely. The old aluminum lattice fins were coated with an ablative coating and had to be reprocessed after every start. On March 30, 2018 , a Block 4 first stage was reused for the first time.
Block 5
At the end of 2016, another version, Block 5, was announced, which should have many further developments: The thrust should be increased by 7 to 8%, better control through an optimized angle of attack should increase the payload capacity, the grid fins are forged from heat-resistant titanium and the Landing legs should be improved. Furthermore, thermal insulation should replace the current color, which melts and bubbles when it re-enters. The helium tanks are to be improved so that they can be refueled faster and reused more frequently. There should be around 100 improvements in total. The first launch was initially announced for the end of 2017, followed by several postponements on May 11, 2018 for the Bangabandhu-1 mission . According to NASA regulations, Block 5 must fly at least seven times in the same configuration before it is approved for manned flights.
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SpaceX aims to reuse Block 5 first stages ten times without having to laboriously overhaul them. After that, a certain amount of maintenance should be necessary. A total of up to 100 flights are possible with the same rocket. From 2019 it should be possible to restart a landed Block 5 first stage within 24 hours. Key technologies for good reusability are the robust titanium lattice fins and the low-wear, thermally insulated surface, as well as improvements in the durability of the Octaweb. The latter also received better insulation and water cooling and is now fixed in the rocket with rivets instead of welded connections .
Block 5 is externally recognizable by a changed design. The intermediate stage (between the first and second stages) and the landing legs are black, and the word “SpaceX” is in the middle of the first stage instead of at the bottom.
The first flight of Block 5 took place on May 11, 2018 after several postponements. From the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rocket placed Bangladesh's first satellite ( Bangabandhu-1 ) on a geostationary transfer orbit and the first stage landed successfully on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You .
Raptor
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said on June 22, 2017 that there were considerations to use the raptor engine in rockets of the Falcon series.
Incidents
- During the fourth launch of the Falcon 9 on October 8, 2012, an engine in the first stage failed after one minute and 19 seconds. The individual engines in the first-stage cluster are protected by Kevlar jackets so that the other engines were not damaged by the explosion of the failed engine. To ensure symmetrical thrust, the opposite engine was automatically switched off. Thanks to an extended burn time of the remaining engines and the second stage, the planned orbit for the main payload Dragon could still be achieved. Due to safety regulations for the ISS, however, the secondary payload, the “Orbcomm FM44” satellite, could no longer be brought into its higher orbit. The satellite was launched on a lower orbit than planned and burned up three days later. This launch of the Falcon 9 can only be seen as a partial success.
- At the sixth launch of the Falcon 9 and at the same time the first launch of the improved version v1.1 on September 29, 2013, the primary payload CASSIOPE and several small secondary payloads were successfully deployed on their planned runways. After the payloads were deployed, the plan was to re-ignite the second stage to demonstrate the reignition capability in orbit, which is necessary for launches in the GTO . However, when it was reignited, the engine exploded and the stage was destroyed.
- A momentous incident and first total loss occurred on June 28, 2015 when a Falcon 9 took off for the 19th time. 2 minutes and 19 seconds after take-off - shortly before the planned decoupling of the first stage and ignition of the second stage - the oxygen tank of the second stage exploded. As a result, this stage disintegrated and the payload - the dragon capsule - broke away. The trunk (pressureless cargo compartment of the Dragon) and the International Docking Adapter (IDA) for the ISS that was transported in it, which was intended to couple the future manned CCDev spaceships with the ISS, were destroyed. The dragon capsule initially survived the accident and continued to send telemetry data, but was then probably destroyed when it hit the ocean. SpaceX announced that by deploying the parachute system, Dragon and its cargo could have entered the Atlantic unscathed. However, this was not intended in the software. The first stage ran at full thrust for several seconds during the disintegration of the top half of the missile and then exploded 2 minutes and 27 seconds after launch. A self-destruct signal was sent to the first stage around 70 seconds after it exploded. On July 20, 2015, Elon Musk announced that one of the four spars that fix the helium tank inside the oxygen tank was probably cracked. The helium tank then shot up, resulting in a loss of structural integrity. The spar is said to have cracked at 20% of the certified load. SpaceX was able to simulate this in a series of tests in which around 1000 spars were tested for their load.
- On September 1, 2016, a Falcon 9 exploded on the launch pad during preparations for a test run of the engines, which is routinely carried out before each take-off. The launch site LC40 was badly damaged. A video of the incident shows how the rocket begins to explode in the area of the second stage while being refueled with liquid oxygen and is then completely destroyed. The payload - the Israeli communications satellite Amos 6 - was already mounted on the rocket and was destroyed in the explosion. Among other things, this would have been the first satellite as part of the Internet.org initiative, the aim of which is to provide users in Africa - especially south of the Sahara - with wireless Internet access.
- After four months of investigation, SpaceX announced that the cause of the explosion was the ignition of refrigerated oxygen and the carbon-containing cladding of the helium tanks. During the investigation of the helium tanks, defects (buckles) were found into which liquid oxygen can penetrate. The carbon in the composite may have been ignited by breaking fibers in the composite or by friction. The charging temperature was so low that the oxygen could even have been frozen. The friction of oxygen crystals could have led to ignition. In the short term, SpaceX will be working with warmer helium temperatures again. In the long term, the helium tanks should be improved so that faster refueling would be possible again.
- Since the incident, the test runs have always been carried out without a payload. To do this, the rocket must be turned horizontally again and driven into the hangar in order to put down the payload. The first launch of a Falcon 9 from the now repaired launch site took place on December 15, 2017, more than 15 months after the incident.
- During the sixth launch of Starlink satellites on March 18, 2020, an engine of the first rocket stage switched off too early. As planned in such cases, the remaining engines compensated for the failure by burning them for longer; the Starlink satellites were eventually launched into planned orbit. This was the first time a Falcon 9 first stage had been used for the fifth time. Because of the upcoming manned Falcon 9 mission SpX-DM2 , NASA also participated in the investigation of the incident. According to Elon Musk, the cause was a small amount of the cleaning fluid isopropanol that had collected on a sensor and ignited during the flight.
construction
The Falcon 9 is designed as a partially reusable two-stage launcher with liquid propellants , liquid oxygen ( LOX ) and the RP-1 rocket kerosene with the payload on the tip .
Nine Merlin engines are used in the first stage of the Falcon 9 . In the Falcon 9 v1.0, the nine engines are arranged in a 3 × 3 matrix. The Falcon 9 v1.1 has eight engines in a circle and one in the center. Extendable landing legs can be attached to the first stage to allow landing on a floating platform or on the mainland. In the second stage, a single Merlin engine is used, which is optimized for operation in a vacuum with an enlarged exhaust nozzle. Above the second stage is the payload - either the Dragon capsule or a satellite.
Payload fairing
For payloads other than the Dragon capsule, the Falcon 9 can be equipped with a payload fairing with a diameter of 5.2 m, which protects the sensitive payload from the stresses caused by the dense atmospheric layers in the ascent phase. This payload fairing is 13.9 m long. The usable interior space is 11.4 m high and has an inner diameter of 4.6 m over a length of 6.6 m. Above this, the diameter of the ogive tip becomes smaller. At the highest point it is still 1.3 m wide. The payload fairing is blasted off during operation of the second stage as soon as the loads from the air resistance can no longer damage the payload.
Systems for secondary payloads
Spaceflight Incorporated is developing a system for the Falcon 9 to transport small satellites on the Falcon 9 when launching with the Dragon capsule. The system will later be expanded into two different upper stages that can transport satellites to other orbits. The first is to be used in the LEO, for example when the Dragon capsule is launched. In order to reach other railways from there, it can change its speed with payload by 400 m / s. The second, on the other hand, is used for take-offs in the GTO, whereby it can fly with its payload into the GEO with an additional speed of 2200 m / s .
Reusability
First stage
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The results of the test flights of the Grasshopper program flow into the development of the Falcon 9R - a further development of the Falcon 9 v1.1. With a first stage of this rocket on April 18, 2014 when the Dragon capsule CRS-3 was launched, it landed softly on the sea surface in a vertical position. Regardless of the subsequent inevitable sinking of the stage in the water, a first important proof of the feasibility of landing a rocket stage was provided.
On January 10, 2015, the first stage of the Falcon 9 v1.1, equipped with additional control fins and extendable landing legs, was to land on the specially built, autonomously operating offshore platform Autonomous spaceport drone ship as part of the CRS-5 mission . Apparently, however, shortly before touchdown, the hydraulic fluid for the control fins ran out, and the first stage came up crooked on the edge of the landing platform. The remaining fuel exploded, which destroyed the first stage and also damaged the landing platform.
Another attempt to land on the restored platform with improvements to the rocket was planned a month later on February 11, 2015 at the start of the Deep Space Climate Observatory . However, due to bad weather with high waves in the landing zone, the landing platform had to be withdrawn prematurely. As with CRS-3, the landing attempt ended “softly” in the sea.
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The CRS-6 mission successfully launched to the ISS on April 14, 2015. However, the attempt to land on the floating platform was unsuccessful. The first stage touched down with great maneuverability, but did not come to a stable stop and overturned.
The first successful landing of a rocket stage finally succeeded on solid ground with the improved F9 v1.2 on December 21, 2015 (local time, December 22, UTC ) in Cape Canaveral. About ten minutes after takeoff, the first stage of the rocket touched down undamaged in a vertical position in landing zone 1 . On January 15, 2016, the stage on the LC-40 in Cape Canaveral was re-ignited for test purposes, but without taking off. The test was largely successful, only engine No. 9 showed some fluctuations.
On January 17, 2016, a third attempt was made to land on an autonomously operating offshore platform as part of the Jason 3 mission. The platform was called "Just Read The Instructions". The first stage of the rocket landed successfully on the platform floating in the sea, but then fell over due to an improperly locked leg and exploded.
As part of the CRS-8 mission , on April 8, 2016 off the coast of Florida, a first stage successfully landed on a floating platform, the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You".
When SES-10 was launched on March 31, 2017, the recovered first stage from flight CRS-8 was also able to successfully reuse a used stage for the first time. The step landed successfully on a floating platform a few minutes after takeoff. According to Gwynne Shotwell, Manager at SpaceX, this launch saved well over half the costs of a new first stage.
In the spring of 2017, SpaceX aimed to restart the first stages that had landed within 24 hours. The aim was that a first stage does not have to be overtaken after every flight, but can fly again 10 times after refueling. Only then should a medium-sized overhaul take place. A first stage should ultimately fly at least 100 times. In the meantime, SpaceX announced that after the Block 5 version there would no longer be any significant further development of the Falcon 9. The reusability targets set for the Falcon 9 in 2017 have now been named for the BFR , while the Falcon 9 first stage is designed for at least 20 flights.
In May 2019 it was possible for the first time to retract the landing legs after the first stage had been recovered, instead of completely dismantling them. This improvement reduces the time to reuse by at least half a day.
In March 2020, a Falcon 9 first stage landed successfully for the 50th time after its use.
Payload fairing
To further reduce launch costs, SpaceX is working on reusing payload fairings. The two halves were provided with " steering nozzles ", which keep the flight position stable when re-entering, as well as with steerable parachutes, on which they then water in the ocean. The landing and recovery of the payload fairing succeeded for the first time during the launch of the SES-10 satellite on March 31, 2017. On March 25, 2019, after a few unsuccessful attempts with the ship GO Ms. Tree, half of the fairing was captured directly from the air for the first time.
Second step
A landing and recovery of the second stage was considered and rejected again. Instead, the development of the BFR is to be accelerated. SpaceX could have reduced the start-up costs considerably.
The main problem with a second stage landing would be its high speed. To slow them down with their engines in reverse flight, as happens when landing the first stage, a lot of additional fuel would be required, which would make the rocket heavier and reduce the payload capacity. So SpaceX wanted to try to slow down the second stage with the air resistance of an attached balloon and then land it softly. Elon Musk said in two tweets in April 2018 jokingly them, they would slow down the stage with a "huge party balloon" and then a "bouncy castle" ( English bouncy castle ) land. In another tweet on the same day, he indicated that the second stage - like the payload fairing - could be caught by a ship like Mr. Steven.
Falcon Heavy
Parallel to the Falcon 9, SpaceX developed the Falcon Heavy, the currently most powerful launch vehicle available. It consists of a reinforced Falcon 9 first stage, two modified Falcon 9 first stages as a booster and a Falcon 9 second stage. The rocket's maiden flight took place on February 6, 2018 from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 . The final Falcon Heavy version based on Block 5 (first flight on April 12, 2019) should be able to bring up to 63.8 t payload from Cape Canaveral into a low earth orbit (LEO) with a 28.5 ° orbit inclination. The Falcon Heavy should be able to transport around 16.8 t on an escape route to Mars.
Technical and economic data
| version | Falcon 9 v1.0 A 1 | Falcon 9 v1.1 A 1 | Falcon 9 v1.2 A 1 | Falcon Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First stage | 9 x Merlin-1C | 9 × Merlin-1D | first standard stage with 9 × Merlin-1D and 2 boosters with 9 × Merlin-1D each, so a total of 27 Merlin engines for the first stage |
|
| Second step | 1 x Merlin-1C-Vac | 1 × Merlin-1D-Vac | ||
| Height (maximum) (m) | 54.9 | 68.4 | 70.0 | |
| Diameter (m) | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 x 12.2 | |
| Thrust (on the ground) ( kN ) | 4,940 | 5,885 | 7,607 | 22,819 |
| Takeoff mass ( t ) | 333 | 506 | 541 | 1,394 |
|
Payload fairing diameter (m) |
5.2 | |||
|
Payload ( LEO ) (kg)
Not reusable: |
10,450 | 13,150 | 22,800 A 2 | 63,800 A 2 |
| Partly reusable: | n / A | n / A | approx. 15,000 | approx. 30,000 |
|
Payload ( GTO ) (kg)
Not reusable: |
4,540 | 4,850 | 8,300 A 2 | 26,700 A 2 |
| Partly reusable: | n / A | so far max. 7,080 (Sub-GTO 244 × approx. 18,000 km)
Block 3: less than 5,500 Block 5: na |
||
| Payload ( Mars ) (kg) | n / A | 4,020 A 2 | 16,800 A 2 | |
| Payload ( Pluto ) (kg) | n / A | 3,500 A 2 | ||
| Manufacturing costs (million US dollars) | n / A | n / A | approx. 60 (2017) | n / A |
| Mission Prize (US $ Mn) | 35 | 61.2 | 62 | 90 |
- Falcon 9: With salvage, the payload capacity drops by 15–30%, depending on the target orbit and whether landing on the lake platform or the return flight to the launch site.
- Falcon Heavy: When the side booster is recovered, the payload drops only slightly (unofficially 7–10%). With the recovery of the central first stage, the payload capacity also decreases, similar to that of the Falcon 9.
Launch ramps and landing areas
The Falcon 9 takes off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base from the LC-40 launch pad and from the SLC-4E launch pad in Vandenberg . In April 2014, a 20-year lease was signed for the LC 39A launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center , where the Falcon Heavy and the manned Falcon 9 with Dragon V2 are to launch in the future. The first launch there took place on February 19, 2017 as part of the CRS-10 mission. A dedicated launch facility is under construction near Brownsville , Texas . The groundbreaking ceremony took place on September 22, 2014. From the end of 2018, suborbital test flights should be possible from there ; Commercial Falcon 9 flights are expected from the second half of 2019 at the earliest.
The “Landing Zone 1” at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base acts as the onshore landing site on the east coast. This is the earlier Launch Complex 13 , which now has a large paved concrete landing pad. For take-offs from Vandenberg on the west coast, there is also a concrete landing area on the take-off area there. In addition, with the Autonomous spaceport drone ships , SpaceX has several floating platforms for landings on the ocean.
Start list
→ See: List of Falcon rocket launches
See also
- Adeline (rocket) , the rival project of the Airbus Group , manufacturer of Ariane 5 , for the planned recyclability of the first stage of Ariane 6 .
Web links
- Falcon 9 , SpaceX (English)
- Falcon manual , SpaceX 2019 (English, PDF)
- Bernd Leitenberger: Falcon 9
- Falcon 9 family. Gunter's Space Page (English)
- Bernd Leitenberger: The Falcon 1 and 9 take off
Individual evidence
- ↑ Eric Ralph: Elon Musk shows off SpaceX's Falcon 9 Block 5 ahead of launch and landing debut. In: Teslarati. May 3, 2018, accessed May 4, 2018 .
- ↑ a b SpaceX on Twitter . In: Twitter . Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- ↑ a b SpaceX: Falcon 9 successfully returns to earth for the first time . In: Zeit Online . December 22, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- ↑ SpaceX is planning something historical. Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
- ^ SpaceX Announces the Falcon 9 Fully Reusable Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle. SpaceX press release on spaceref.com, September 9, 2005.
- ↑ Commercial Space Transportation License No LLS 14-087 (Rev 2). FAA, February 28, 2014, last changed on December 4, 2017. At the bottom of page 2 are the names Falcon 9 Version 1.1 , Falcon 9 Version 1.2 and Falcon 9 in chronological order .
- ↑ Ian Atkinson: First Falcon 9 Block 5 booster reading for static fire at McGregor; paving way for rapid reuse. nasaspaceflight.com, February 27, 2018.
- ↑ Thiago V. Goncalves: Grid fins are made of titanium, 1st stage is block 3, 2nd stage is block 4. In: @zerosixbravo. June 24, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2017 .
- ↑ Chris B.- NSF: Hello new grid fins.pic.twitter.com/9udu4HElOx. In: @NASASpaceflight. June 24, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2017 .
- ↑ Elon Musk: Flying with larger & significantly upgraded hypersonic grid fins. Single piece cast & cut titanium. Can take reentry heat with no shielding.https: //twitter.com/spacex/status/878732650277617664… In: @elonmusk. June 24, 2017, accessed on June 25, 2017 : “Flies with larger and significantly improved supersonic grid fins. Cast and cut from one piece of titanium. Takes off the re-entry heat without a protective layer. "
- ↑ Jeff Foust: Musk offers more details about Mars mission architecture - SpaceNews.com . In: SpaceNews.com . October 23, 2016 ( spacenews.com [accessed May 14, 2017]): "Musk did, though, briefly address an upcoming, and" final, "version of the rocket, which he called Block 5, that is designed for frequent reusability. "Falcon 9 Block 5 - the final version in the series - is the one that has the most performance and is designed for easy reuse, so it just makes sense to focus on that long term and retire the earlier versions," he wrote. That version includes many "minor refinements" but also increased thrust and improved landing legs, he said. The first of the Block 5 Falcon 9 vehicles will begin production in three months, with an initial flight in six to eight months. With its entry into service, he said he doesn't expect recovered first stages from the older Block 3 and Block 4 versions of the rocket to be reused more than a few times. In a speech earlier this month, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said she believed the updated version of the Falcon 9 could be reused up to 10 times. Musk, though, what more optimistic. "I think the F9 boosters could be used almost indefinitely, so long as there is scheduled maintenance and careful inspections," he said. - See more at: http://spacenews.com/musk-offers-more-details-about-mars-mission-architecture/#sthash.DrycWKUD.dpuf "
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 14, 2017 : "" The most important part of Block 5 will be operating the engines at their full thrust capability, which is about 7 or 8 percent - almost 10 percent - more than what they currently run at, "Musk said . "
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 14, 2017 : “The upgraded rocket will have more control authority on descent, Musk added. "It will actually improve the payload to orbit by being able to fly at a higher angle of attack, and use the aerodynamic elements to effectively glide," Musk said. "It actually does have a lift-over-drag (ratio) of roughly one if flown at the right angle of attack, but you need control authority, particularly pitch control authority."
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved on May 14, 2017 : "The new grid fins will replace the first stage's current aluminum winglets, four of which help stabilize and steer the rocket during descent. SpaceX added the grid fins to the first stage after initial experiments with ocean landings, incorporating the deployable fins to improve steering. "
- ↑ F9 - Block 5, Improved Legs • r / SpaceXLounge. Retrieved May 14, 2017 : "Final Falcon 9 has a lot of minor refinements that collectively are important, but uprated thrust and improved legs are the most significant."
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 14, 2017 : "Engineers want to add a thermal barrier coating to replace the paint currently used on the first stage, which can melt and bubble from the extreme heating of re-entry. The heat shield at the base of the rocket protects the engines and the plumbing of the booster's propulsion system. It currently has to be replaced between each launch of the same rocket. "I think we've got the base heat shield thing addressed," Musk said. "
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved April 17, 2017 : "The Block 5 upgrade - ... - will include around 100 changes to the vehicle, according to Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president and chief operating officer."
- ↑ Elon Musk on Twitter . In: Twitter . ( twitter.com [accessed March 10, 2017]): “Yes. Block 5 is the final upgrade of the Falcon architecture. Significantly improves performance & ease of reusability. Flies end of year. "
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved on May 14, 2017 : "The so-called Block 5 configuration of the Falcon 9 will fly at least seven times with a" frozen "design before NASA puts astronauts on the rocket, according to space agency officials."
- ↑ SpaceX expects 100s of Falcon 9 launches with fleet of 30 rockets, says Elon Musk. In: Teslarati. May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018 .
- ↑ Loren Grush: With the landing of SpaceX's powerful new Falcon 9, a new era of rocket reusability takes off. In: The Verge. Vox Media, May 11, 2018, accessed July 22, 2018 .
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Live coverage: SpaceX's first Falcon 9 Block 5 readied for liftoff Thursday. May 10, 2018, accessed May 10, 2018 .
- ↑ Ian Atkinson: First Falcon 9 Block 5 booster reading for static fire at McGregor; paving way for rapid reuse. February 27, 2018, accessed March 8, 2018 .
- ↑ Craig Vander Galien: Photo of the first Block 5 rocket shortly before launch. May 10, 2018.
- ↑ Stephen Clark: SpaceX debuts new model of the Falcon 9 rocket designed for astronauts. In: Spaceflight Now. May 11, 2018, accessed May 11, 2018 .
- ↑ Caleb Henry: SpaceX launches Bangladeshi satellite on debut Block 5 Falcon 9 mission. In: Spacenews. May 11, 2018, accessed May 12, 2018 .
- ↑ Thu, 06/22/2017 - 14:00 | Gwynne Shotwell. Retrieved on July 1, 2017 (English): “26:12… The original idea for these engines were to service for a propulsion system for the big Mars system. We are looking at the utility for the Falcon Program. “ German:… We are looking at the use of the Raptor engine in the Falcon program.
- ↑ Marcia S. Smith: Range Safety Destruct Signal Was Sent To Falcon 9, But Too Late. spacepolicyonline.com, June 30, 2015, accessed June 30, 2015 .
- ↑ Tobias Willerding: Holm is said to be the cause of Falcon 9 failure. July 21, 2015, accessed August 4, 2015 .
- ↑ Lauren Grush: SpaceX's Falcon 9 explodes on Florida launch pad during rocket test. theverge.com, September 1, 2016, accessed September 1, 2016 .
- ↑ SpaceX - Static Fire Anomaly - AMOS-6 - 09-01-2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016 .
- ↑ SpaceX: Falcon 9 rocket and Amos 6 satellite destroyed in explosion on Cape Canaveral. Retrieved October 25, 2016 .
- ↑ Statement on this morning's anomaly. Retrieved October 25, 2016 .
- ^ Russell Brandom: Today's SpaceX explosion is a major setback for Facebook's free internet ambitions. theverge.com, September 1, 2016, accessed September 1, 2016 .
- ↑ Russell Brandom: Mark Zuckerberg says he's 'deeply disappointed' in satellite explosion. theverge.com, September 1, 2016, accessed September 1, 2016 .
- ↑ Anomaly Update. SpaceX, January 2, 2017, accessed January 6, 2017 .
- ↑ SpaceX's 50th Falcon rocket launch kicks off station resupply mission - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved December 16, 2017 (American English).
- ^ Jeff Foust: NASA to participate in SpaceX engine anomaly investigation. Spacenews, March 24, 2020.
- ↑ Safety panel concludes May launch of commercial crew test flight is feasible. Spacenews, April 23, 2020.
- ↑ Günther Glatzel: Improved Falcon 9 successfully started (updates). Raumfahrer.net, September 29, 2013, accessed October 11, 2013 .
- ↑ Falcon 9 Users Guide 2009. (PDF) (No longer available online.) SpaceX, archived from the original on August 24, 2014 ; accessed on January 23, 2014 (English).
- ↑ For a sandwich into space. nzz.ch, accessed on June 13, 2016.
- ↑ Günther Glatzel: Sherpa conducts additional payloads of the Falcon 9. Raumfahrer.net, June 9, 2012, accessed on October 11, 2013 .
- ↑ SpaceX: Falcon 9 First Stage Landing . December 21, 2015. Accessed January 6, 2016.
- ↑ SpaceX: launcher returns safe from space for the first time . In: Spiegel Online . December 22, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- ↑ Spaceflight Now: Recovered Falcon 9 booster fires again at Cape Canaveral. January 16, 2016, accessed January 17, 2016 .
- ↑ Elon Musk: Falcon lands on droneship, but the lockout collet doesn't latch on one the four legs. January 17, 2016, accessed January 18, 2016 .
- ↑ SpaceX successfully lands its rocket on a floating drone ship for the first time . In: The Verge . April 8, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
- ↑ SES-10 launched on reused Falcon 9 rocket. Retrieved March 31, 2017 .
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- ↑ Elon Musk on Twitter . In: Twitter . ( twitter.com [accessed on May 14, 2017]): “… Next goal is reflight within 24 hours. German translation: ... Next destination is flying again within 24 hours. "
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 14, 2017 : "" The design intent is that the rocket can be reflown with zero hardware changes, "Musk said. "In other words, the only thing you change is you reload the propellant." English: "The design idea is that the rocket can fly again without exchanging parts," said Musk. "In other words, the only thing that needs to be replaced is the fuel" "
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 14, 2017 : “SpaceX's goal is to launch each Falcon 9 first stage 10 times with only inspections. English: SpaceX's goal is to launch each Falcon 9 first stage ten times with just inspections. "
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved May 14, 2017 : "Then, with moderate refurbishment that doesn't have a significant effect on the cost, it can be reflown at least 100 times," Musk said. German: Then, after a medium overhaul that has no significant impact on the costs, it can fly at least 100 times again, "said Musk"
- ↑ Twitter message from Elon Musk, February 22, 2019.
- ↑ Eric Ralph: SpaceX hits new Falcon 9 reusability milestone, retracts all four landing legs. In: Teslarati. May 7, 2019, accessed May 8, 2019 .
- ↑ Lynsey Jeffery: SpaceX Successfully Lands 50th Rocket In 5 Years. March 7, 2020, accessed June 7, 2020 .
- ↑ Caleb Henry: SpaceX demonstrates rocket reusability with SES-10 launch and booster landing. In: spacenews.com. March 30, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018 .
- ↑ Thu, 06/22/2017 - 14:00 | Gwynne Shotwell. Retrieved July 9, 2017 .
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- ↑ Changes to the BFR . In: Twitter . ( twitter.com [accessed on November 19, 2018]): "The BFR design has been changed again, or are you talking about the last design?" Answer Elon Musk: "Radical change"
- ↑ Stephen Clark: New photos illustrate progress in SpaceX's fairing recovery attempts. June 1, 2018, accessed June 16, 2018 .
- ↑ Loren Grush: How Elon Musk could recover rockets with balloons - just not the party kind. In: The Verge. April 18, 2018, accessed June 16, 2018 .
- ↑ Twitter messages from Elon Musk, April 16, 2018.
- ↑ Elon Musk's new SpaceX rocket plan uses a 'party balloon'. In: c | net. May 16, 2016, accessed June 16, 2018 .
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- ↑ SpaceX: Falcon Heavy , accessed June 12, 2019.
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- ^ William Graham: SpaceX Falcon 9 sets new record with Telstar 19V launch from SLC-40. In: nasaspaceflight.com. July 21, 2018, accessed July 22, 2018 .
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