SpaceX launch vehicles#Falcon 1e
{{short description|Launch vehicles developed and operated by SpaceX}}
{{Redirect|Falcon rocket|other uses|Falcon (disambiguation)#Rocketry and space}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
File:SpaceX rockets.svg launch vehicles to scale – from left to right, the Falcon 1, Falcon 9 v1.0, Falcon 9 v1.1, Falcon 9 Full Thrust, Falcon 9 Block 5, Falcon Heavy, Falcon Heavy Block 5, and Starship Block 1.]]
SpaceX manufactures launch vehicles to operate its launch provider services and to execute its various exploration goals. SpaceX manufactures and operates two members of the Falcon 9 family, the Falcon 9 Block 5 medium-lift launch vehicle and the Falcon Heavy heavy-lift launch vehicle – both of which are powered by SpaceX Merlin engines and employ VTVL technologies to reuse the first stage. As of 2024, the company is also developing the fully reusable Starship launch system, which will replace Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Dragon.{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Eric |date=November 18, 2024 |title=SpaceX president predicts rapid increase in Starship launch rate |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/11/spacex-president-predicts-rapid-increase-in-starship-launch-rate/ |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-US}}
SpaceX's first launch vehicle, the Falcon 1, was the first privately developed liquid fueled launch vehicle to be launched into orbit, and used SpaceX's Merlin and Kestrel engines for its first and second stages, respectively. It was launched five times from Omelek Island between 2006 and 2009 – the Falcon 1e and Falcon 5 variants were planned but never developed. The Falcon 9 v1.0, using upgraded Merlin engines on both its stages, was developed as part of the United States Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program and NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. It was first launched from Cape Canaveral in 2010 and later replaced by the Falcon 9 v1.1 series in 2013, which was also launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Falcon 9 Full Thrust and Falcon Heavy variants followed in 2015 and 2018. Falcon Heavy launches from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Falcon 9 additionally launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg.
Nomenclature
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has stated that the Falcon 1, 9, and Heavy are named after the Millennium Falcon from the Star Wars film series.{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwMIAKabRng |title= Joseph Gordon-Levitt at SpaceX |publisher= Youtube |page= timeindex 2:25 }}
Launch vehicles
= Falcon Heavy =
{{Main|Falcon Heavy}}
{{stack|File:Falcon Heavy cropped.jpg}}
Falcon Heavy (FH) is a super heavy lift space launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX. The Falcon Heavy is a variant of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle comprising three Falcon 9 first stages: a reinforced center core, and two additional side boosters. All three boosters are capable of being recovered and reused, although most flights use unrecoverable stripped-down center cores to increase performance. The side boosters assigned to Falcon Heavy's first flight were recovered from two prior Falcon 9 missions. SpaceX successfully launched the Falcon Heavy on February 6, 2018, delivering a payload comprising Musk's personal Tesla Roadster onto a trajectory reaching the orbit of Mars.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/watch-live-falcon-heavy-launch-spacex-online-stream-live-updates/ |title=SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch puts on spectacular show in maiden flight |publisher=CBS News |date=February 6, 2018 |access-date=February 6, 2018 |first=William |last=Harwood }}
= Falcon 9 "Full Thrust"{{Needs update|date=October 2024}} =
{{Main|Falcon 9 Full Thrust}}
The "Full Thrust" version of Falcon 9 is an upgraded version of the Falcon 9 v1.1. It was used the first time on December 22, 2015, for the ORBCOMM-2 launch at Cape Canaveral SLC-40 launch pad.{{cite web |last1=Foust |first1=Jeff |date=September 15, 2015 |title=SES Betting on SpaceX, Falcon 9 Upgrade as Debut Approaches |url=http://spacenews.com/ses-betting-on-spacex-falcon-9-upgrade-as-debut-approaches/ |access-date=September 19, 2015 |publisher=SpaceNews}}
The first stage was upgraded with a larger liquid oxygen tank, loaded with subcooled propellants to allow a greater mass of fuel in the same tank volume. The second stage was also extended for greater fuel tank capacity. These upgrades brought a 33% increase to the previous rocket performance.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5bTbVbe4e4 |title=ORBCOMM-2 Full Launch Webcast |date=December 21, 2015 |author=SpaceX |website=YouTube }} Five sub-variants have been flown; only Falcon 9 Block 5 is still active.{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Eric |date=June 28, 2018 |title=SpaceX has flown its last Block 4 version of the Falcon 9 rocket [Updated] |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/06/spacex-set-to-fly-its-final-block-4-version-of-the-falcon-9-on-friday/ |access-date=December 30, 2024 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-US}}
By default the first stage lands and gets reused, although it can be expended to increase the payload capacity.{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=April 28, 2024 |title=Falcon 9 launches Galileo navigation satellites |url=https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-galileo-navigation-satellites/ |access-date=December 30, 2024 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}
In development
= Starship =
{{Excerpt|SpaceX Starship}}
Retired
= Falcon 1 =
{{Main|Falcon 1}}
{{stack|File:SpaceX Falcon vertical on the launch pad.jpg at Vandenberg AFB. This vehicle was removed from VAFB due to delays and eventually launched from Kwajalein.]]}}
The Falcon 1 was a small, planned to be partially reusable rocket capable of placing several hundred kilograms into low earth orbit.{{ cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/falcon9.php |title=Falcon 9 Overview |year=2011 |publisher=SpaceX |access-date=December 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118103620/http://www.spacex.com/falcon9.php |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |url-status = dead}} It also functioned as a testbed for developing concepts and components for the larger Falcon 9. Initial Falcon 1 flights were launched from the US government's Reagan Test Site on the island atoll of Kwajalein in the Pacific Ocean, and represented the first attempt to fly a ground-launched rocket to orbit from that site.{{cite news|last=Cane |first=Fraser |title=SpaceX'sFalcon-1 Briefly Reaches Space |url=http://www.universetoday.com/1465/spacexs-falcon-1-briefly-reaches-space/ |access-date=December 1, 2011 |newspaper=The Universe Today |date=March 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606065827/http://www.universetoday.com/1465/spacexs-falcon-1-briefly-reaches-space/ |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |url-status = dead}}
On March 26, 2006, the Falcon 1's maiden flight failed only seconds after leaving the pad due to a fuel line rupture.{{cite news|last=Malik |first=Tariq |title=Article: Fuel Leak and Fire Led to Falcon 1 Rocket Failure, SpaceX Says |url=http://www.space.com/2200-fuel-leak-fire-led-falcon-1-rocket-failure-spacex.html |access-date=December 1, 2011 |newspaper=Space.com |date=March 26, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805035827/http://www.space.com/2200-fuel-leak-fire-led-falcon-1-rocket-failure-spacex.html |archive-date=August 5, 2011 |url-status = dead}}{{cite news|last=Malik |first=Tariq |title=SpaceX's Inaugural Falcon 1 Rocket Lost Just After Launch |url=http://www.space.com/2196-spacex-inaugural-falcon-1-rocket-lost-launch.html |access-date=December 1, 2011 |newspaper=Space.com |date=March 26, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804231603/http://www.space.com/2196-spacex-inaugural-falcon-1-rocket-lost-launch.html |archive-date=August 4, 2011 |url-status = dead}} After a year, the second flight was launched on March 22, 2007, and it also ended in failure, due to a spin stabilization problem that automatically caused sensors to turn off the Kestrel 2nd-stage engine. The third Falcon 1 flight used a new regenerative cooling system for the first-stage Merlin engine, and the engine development was responsible for the almost 17-month flight delay. The new cooling system turned out to be the major reason the mission failed; because the first stage rammed into the second-stage engine bell at staging, due to excess thrust provided by residual propellant left over from the higher-propellant-capacity cooling system.{{cite news|last=O'Neill |first=Ian |title=Video of SpaceX Falcon 1 Flight 3 Launch Shows Stage Separation Anomaly |url=http://www.universetoday.com/16900/video-of-spacex-falcon-1-flight-3-shows-stage-separation-anomaly/ |access-date=December 1, 2011 |newspaper=The Universe Today |date=August 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412105004/http://www.universetoday.com/16900/video-of-spacex-falcon-1-flight-3-shows-stage-separation-anomaly/ |archive-date=April 12, 2012 |url-status = dead}} On September 28, 2008, the Falcon 1 succeeded in reaching orbit on its fourth attempt, becoming the first privately funded, liquid-fueled rocket to do so.{{cite press release|date=September 28, 2008|title=SpaceX Successfully Launches Falcon 1 To Orbit|url=http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20080928|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=September 28, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126130419/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20080928|archive-date=January 26, 2013|url-status = dead}} The Falcon 1 carried its first and only successful commercial payload into orbit on July 13, 2009, on its fifth launch.{{cite web|first=Aaron|last=Rowe|date=July 14, 2009|title=SpaceX Launch Successfully Delivers Satellite Into Orbit|url=https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/spacexlaunch/|publisher=Wired Science|access-date=September 14, 2009}} No launch attempts of the Falcon 1 have been made since 2009, and SpaceX is no longer taking launch reservations for the Falcon 1 in order to concentrate company resources on its larger Falcon 9 launch vehicle and other development projects.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
= Falcon 9 v1.0 =
The first version of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle, Falcon 9 v1.0, was developed in 2005–2010, and was launched for the first time in 2010. Falcon 9 v1.0 made five flights in 2010–2013, when it was retired.
= Falcon 9 v1.1 =
{{multiple image
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| footer = SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft, lifts off during the COTS Demo Flight 1 on December 8, 2010
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{{Main|Falcon 9 v1.1}}
On September 8, 2005, SpaceX announced the development of the Falcon 9 rocket, which has nine Merlin engines in its first stage. The design is an EELV-class vehicle, intended to compete with the Delta IV and the Atlas V, along with launchers of other nations as well. Both stages were designed for reuse. A similarly designed Falcon 5 rocket was also envisioned to fit between{{Cite web |title=Falcon 5 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/f/falcon5.html |access-date=June 27, 2022 |website=www.astronautix.com}} the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9, but development was dropped to concentrate on the Falcon 9.{{cite press release | url = http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=18 | title = SpaceX announces the Falcon 9 fully reusable heavy lift launch vehicle | date = September 8, 2005 | access-date = October 8, 2009 | publisher = SpaceX.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130326183411/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=18 | archive-date = March 26, 2013 |url-status = dead}}
The first version of the Falcon 9, Falcon 9 v1.0, was developed in 2005–2010, and flew five orbital missions in 2010–2013. The second version of the launch system—Falcon 9 v1.1—has been retired meanwhile.
Falcon 9 v1.1 was developed in 2010–2013, and made its maiden flight in September 2013. The Falcon 9 v1.1 is 60 percent heavier, with 60 percent more thrust than the v1.0 version of the Falcon 9. It includes realigned first-stage engines{{cite web|title=Falcon 9's commercial promise to be tested in 2013 |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1211/17f9customers/#.UKfUruQ0V8E|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=November 17, 2012}} and 60 percent longer fuel tanks, making it more susceptible to bending during flight.{{ cite news |last=Klotz|first=Irene |title=Musk Says SpaceX Being "Extremely Paranoid" as It Readies for Falcon 9's California Debut |url=http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/37094musk-says-spacex-being-%E2%80%9Cextremely-paranoid%E2%80%9D-as-it-readies-for-falcon-9%E2%80%99s |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130913134639/http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/37094musk-says-spacex-being-%E2%80%9Cextremely-paranoid%E2%80%9D-as-it-readies-for-falcon-9%E2%80%99s |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 13, 2013 |access-date=September 13, 2013 |newspaper=Space News |date=September 6, 2013 }} The engines themselves have been upgraded to the more powerful Merlin 1D. These improvements increased the payload capability from {{convert|10450|to|13150|kg|}}.
The stage separation system has been redesigned and reduces the number of attachment points from twelve to three, and the vehicle has upgraded avionics and software.
The new first stage was also supposed to be used as side boosters on the Falcon Heavy launch vehicle.{{ cite web |url = http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon9.html |archive-url = https://archive.today/20120910173619/http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon9.html |url-status = usurped |archive-date = September 10, 2012 |title = Space Launch report, SpaceX Falcon Data Sheet |access-date = July 29, 2011 }}
The company purchased the McGregor, Texas, testing facilities of defunct Beal Aerospace, where it refitted the largest test stand at the facilities for Falcon 9 testing. On November 22, 2008, the stand tested the nine Merlin 1C engines of the Falcon 9, which deliver {{convert|350|tf|lbf kN|order=out}} of thrust, well under the stand's capacity of {{convert|1,500|tf|lbf kN|order=out}}.{{cite web|publisher=SpaceX|date=November 22, 2008|title=Falcon 9 Progress Update: 22 November 2008|url=http://www.spacex.com/updates.php#Update082808|access-date=December 13, 2011|archive-date=July 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727153858/http://www.spacex.com/updates.php#Update082808|url-status=dead}}
The first Falcon 9 vehicle was integrated at Cape Canaveral on December 30, 2008. NASA was planning for a flight to take place in January 2010;{{cite web |title=Launches – Mission Set Database |url=http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320221234/http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php |archive-date=March 20, 2009 |access-date=July 14, 2009 |publisher=NASA GSFC}} however the maiden flight was postponed several times and took place on June 4, 2010.{{cite web|publisher=NASA|url=http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/MissionData.php?mission=Falcon-9%20ELV%20First%20Flight%20Demonstration|title=NASA Mission Set Database|access-date=June 3, 2010|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016081034/http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/MissionData.php?mission=Falcon-9%20ELV%20First%20Flight%20Demonstration|archive-date=October 16, 2011}} At 2:50pm EST (14:50 ET), the Falcon 9 rocket successfully reached orbit.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
The second flight for the Falcon 9 vehicle was the COTS Demo Flight 1, the first launch under the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract designed to provide "seed money" for development of new boosters.{{cite press release|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/apr/HQ_C08023_KSC_launch_services.html|title=NASA Awards Launch Services Contract to SpaceX|publisher=NASA|access-date=April 22, 2008|date=April 22, 2008|archive-date=April 24, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424093931/http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/apr/HQ_C08023_KSC_launch_services.html|url-status=dead}} The original NASA contract called for the COTS Demo Flight 1 to occur the second quarter of 2008;{{cite web| url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/189228main_setc_nnj06ta26a.pdf|title= COTS contract|publisher=NASA| access-date=December 30, 2010}} this flight was delayed several times, occurring at 15:43 GMT on December 8, 2010.{{cite web|publisher=SpaceFlightNow|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/002/status.html|title=Mission Status Center|access-date=December 8, 2010}} The rocket successfully deployed an operational Dragon spacecraft at 15:53 GMT. Dragon orbited the Earth twice, and then made a controlled reentry burn that put it on target for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} The first flight of the Falcon 9 v1.1 was September 29, 2013, from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying several payloads including Canada's CASSIOPE technology demonstration satellite.{{cite web |author=Graham |first=William |date=September 29, 2013 |title=SpaceX successfully launches debut Falcon 9 v1.1 |url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/09/spacex-debut-falcon-9-v1-1-cassiope-launch/ |access-date=October 16, 2013 |publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com}} The Falcon 9 v1.1 features stretched first and second stages, and a new octagonal arrangement of the 9 Merlin-1D engines on the first stage (replacing the square pattern of engines in v1.0). SpaceX notes that the Falcon 9 v1.1 is cheaper to manufacture, and longer than v1.0. It also has a larger payload capacity: 13,150 kilograms to low Earth orbit or 4,850 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit.
= Grasshopper =
{{Main|Falcon 9 prototypes}}
Grasshopper was an experimental technology-demonstrator, suborbital reusable launch vehicle (RLV), a vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rocket.{{ cite news |last=Klotz|first=Irene |title=A rocket that lifts off—and lands—on launch pad |url=http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm |access-date=November 23, 2011 |newspaper=MSNBC |date=September 27, 2011 }} The first VTVL flight test vehicle—Grasshopper, built on a Falcon 9 v1.0 first-stage tank—made a total of eight test flights between September 2012 and October 2013.{{cite news |last=Klotz|first=Irene |title=SpaceX Retires Grasshopper, New Test Rig To Fly in December |url=http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/37740spacex-retires-grasshopper-new-test-rig-to-fly-in-december |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131021075659/http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/37740spacex-retires-grasshopper-new-test-rig-to-fly-in-december |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |access-date=October 21, 2013 |newspaper=Space News |date=October 17, 2013 }} All eight flights were from the McGregor, Texas, test facility.
Grasshopper began flight testing in September 2012 with a brief, three-second hop. It was followed by a second hop in November 2012, which consisted of an 8-second flight that took the testbed approximately {{convert|5.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} off the ground. A third flight occurred in December 2012 of 29 seconds duration, with extended hover under rocket engine power, in which it ascended to an altitude of {{convert|40|m|ft|abbr=on}} before descending under rocket power to come to a successful vertical landing.{{cite news|last=Boyle|first=Alan|title=SpaceX launches its Grasshopper rocket on 12-story-high hop in Texas|url=http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/23/16114180-spacex-launches-its-grasshopper-rocket-on-12-story-high-hop-in-texas|access-date=December 30, 2012|newspaper=MSNBC Cosmic Log|date=December 24, 2012|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194358/http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/23/16114180-spacex-launches-its-grasshopper-rocket-on-12-story-high-hop-in-texas|url-status=dead}} Grasshopper made its eighth and final test flight on October 7, 2013, flying to an altitude of {{convert|744|m|ft mi|abbr=on}} before making its eighth successful vertical landing.{{cite web |url = https://www.facebook.com/SpaceX/posts/10153372146765131|title = Grasshopper flies to its highest height to date|publisher = SpaceX|work = Social media information release|date = October 12, 2013|access-date = October 14, 2013|quote = WATCH: Grasshopper flies to its highest height to date - 744 m (2441 ft) into the Texas sky.
Cancelled
= Falcon 1e =
The Falcon 1e was a proposed upgrade of the SpaceX Falcon 1. The Falcon 1e would have featured a larger first stage with a higher thrust engine, an upgraded second stage engine, a larger payload fairing, and was intended to be partially reusable. Its first launch was planned for mid-2011,{{cite web|url=http://www.spacenews.com/contracts/astrium-market-spacex-falcon-launches-europe.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203060454/http://www.spacenews.com/contracts/astrium-market-spacex-falcon-launches-europe.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 3, 2013|title=Astrium to Market SpaceX Falcon 1 Launches in Europe|last=de Selding|first=Peter B|date=September 13, 2010|publisher=SpaceNews.com|access-date=September 14, 2010}} but the Falcon 1 and Falcon 1e were withdrawn from the market, with SpaceX citing "limited demand," before its debut.
{{cite news |title=Virgin Galactic relaunches its smallsat launch business |url=http://www.newspacejournal.com/2012/07/11/virgin-galactic-relaunches-its-smallsat-launch-business/ |access-date=July 11, 2012 |newspaper=NewSpace Journal |date=July 12, 2012 |quote=The Falcon 1e was to provide approximately 1,000 kilograms for $11 million, but the company withdrew the vehicle from the market, citing limited demand. }}
{{cite news |last=Foust|first=Jeff |title=New opportunities for smallsat launches |url=http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1913/1 |newspaper=The Space Review |date=August 22, 2011 |access-date=March 22, 2014 |quote=We had the Falcon 1 offered for a lengthy period of time and could not securely manifest a sustainable amount to keep the product line going. ... We have promised to reevaluate that at the end of this year, and if we decide the market is viable, we will come back in and reintroduce the Falcon 1e.}} Payloads that would have flown on the Falcon 1 were instead to be flown on the Falcon 9 using excess capacity.{{cite web|title=The Falcon is Dead, Long Live the Falcon?|url=http://news.discovery.com/space/spacex-falcon-1-production-freeze-110930.html|last=O'Neill|first=Ian|publisher=Discovery News|date=September 30, 2011|access-date=December 29, 2011|archive-date=December 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215220708/http://news.discovery.com/space/private-spaceflight/spacex-falcon-1-production-freeze-110930.htm|url-status=dead}}
The Falcon 1e was to be {{convert|6.1|m|abbr=on}} longer than the Falcon 1, with an overall length of {{convert|27.4|m|abbr=on}}, but with the same {{convert|1.68|m|abbr=on}} diameter. Its first stage had a dry mass of {{convert|5680|lb|order=flip|abbr=on}}, and was powered by an upgraded{{cite web|title=Falcon 1 User's Guide|url=http://www.spacex.com/Falcon1UsersGuide.pdf|website=SpaceX.com|access-date=November 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222034638/http://www.spacex.com/Falcon1UsersGuide.pdf|archive-date=February 22, 2012}} pump-fed Merlin 1C engine burning {{convert|87000|lb|order=flip|abbr=on}} of RP-1 and liquid oxygen. The first stage burn time was around 169 seconds. The second stage had a dry mass of {{convert|1200|lb|order=flip|abbr=on}} and its pressure-fed Kestrel 2 engine burned {{convert|8900|lb|order=flip|abbr=on}} of propellant. The restartable Kestrel 2 could burn for up to a total of 418 seconds.{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/Falcon1UsersGuide.pdf|title=Falcon 1 Launch Vehicle Payload User's Guide|date=May 2008|publisher=Space Exploration Technologies Corporation|access-date=September 14, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222034638/http://www.spacex.com/Falcon1UsersGuide.pdf|archive-date=February 22, 2012}}
The Falcon 1e planned to use Aluminum Lithium alloy 2195 in the second stage, a change from the 2014 Aluminum used in the Falcon 1 second stages.
{{cite journal |last=Bjelde|first=Brian |author2=Max Vozoff|author3=Gwynne Shotwell |title=The Falcon 1 Launch Vehicle: Demonstration Flights, Status, Manifest, and Upgrade Path |journal=21st Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites |date=August 2007 |issue=SSC07 - III - 6 |url=http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1456&context=smallsat |access-date=December 6, 2013 }}
Falcon 1e launches were intended to occur from Omelek Island, part of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, and from Cape Canaveral, however SpaceX had announced that they would consider other locations as long as there is a "business case for establishing the requested launch site". Following a demonstration flight, the Falcon 1e was intended to make a series of launches carrying Orbcomm O2G spacecraft, with a total of eighteen satellites being launched, several per rocket.{{cite web|url=http://www.spacenews.com/launch/spacex-lands-orbcomm-launch-contract.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910061143/http://www.spacenews.com/launch/spacex-lands-orbcomm-launch-contract.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 10, 2012|title=SpaceX Lands Orbcomm 18 Satellite Launch Deal|last=Ferster|first=Warren|date=September 3, 2009|publisher=SpaceNews.com|access-date=September 14, 2010}} EADS Astrium had been responsible for marketing the Falcon 1e in Europe.
= Falcon 5 =
The Falcon 5 was a proposed two-stage-to-orbit partially reusable launch vehicle designed by SpaceX.{{cite web
|url=http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon9.html
|title=SpaceX Falcon 9 Data Sheet
|publisher=Space Launch Report
|first=Ed
|last=Kyle
|date=May 1, 2017
|access-date = September 21, 2019
|url-status = usurped
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412010845/http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon9.html
|archive-date = April 12, 2022
}}
The first stage of Falcon 5 was to be powered by five Merlin engines, and the upper stage by one Merlin engine, both burning RP-1 with a liquid oxygen oxidizer. Along with the Falcon 9, it would have been the world's only launch vehicle with its first stage designed for reuse.{{cite press release |url = http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=18 |title = SpaceX announces the Falcon 9 fully reusable heavy lift launch vehicle |date = September 8, 2005 |publisher = SpaceX |access-date = March 26, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130326183411/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=18 |archive-date = March 26, 2013 |url-status = dead |df = dmy-all}}
The Falcon 5 would have been the first American rocket since the Saturn V to have full engine-out capability, meaning that with the loss of one engine, it can still meet mission requirements by burning the other four engines longer to achieve the correct orbit.
{{cite web
|url=http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/falcon5.htm
|title=Falcon 5
|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica
|first=Mark
|last=Wade
|access-date=August 18, 2010
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111212400/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/falcon5.htm
|archive-date=November 11, 2011
}} In comparison, the Space Shuttle only had partial engine-out capability, meaning that it was not able to achieve proper orbit by burning the remaining engines longer.
In 2006, SpaceX stated that the Falcon 5 was a Falcon 9 with four engines removed. Since the launchers were being co-developed, work on the Falcon 9 was also applicable to the Falcon 5.{{cite web |url=http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=081707 |title=Monster Progress Update (Mostly Falcon 9) |first=Elon |last=Musk |author-link=Elon Musk |publisher=SpaceX |date=August 17, 2007 |access-date=September 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214113554/http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=081707 |archive-date=December 14, 2007}}
= Falcon 9 Air =
Falcon 9 Air would have been an air-launched multi-stage launch vehicle under development by SpaceX in 2011–2012. Falcon 9 Air was to be carried to launch position and launch altitude by a Stratolaunch Systems carrier aircraft, the world's largest aircraft by wingspan. Payload to low Earth orbit was projected to be {{convert|6100|kg|lb|abbr=in}}.
Propulsion for the rocket was planned to be provided by four Merlin 1D rocket engines, engines that were also to be used in the Falcon 9 v1.1 beginning in 2013, and also on the Falcon Heavy in 2014. Its first flight was notionally planned for 2016.
In December 2011 Stratolaunch Systems announced that it would contract with SpaceX to develop an air-launched, multiple-stage launch vehicle, as a derivative of Falcon 9 technology, called the Falcon 9 Air,
{{cite web |url=http://stratolaunch.com/team.html |title=The Stratolaunch Team |year=2011 |publisher=Stratoluanch Systems |access-date=December 20, 2011 |quote=... integrate the SpaceX Falcon 9 Air with the Scaled Composites mothership |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217202825/http://www.stratolaunch.com/team.html |archive-date=February 17, 2012 |url-status=dead }}
as part of the Stratolaunch project.
{{cite news
|last=Bergin
|first=Chris
|title=Stratolaunch introduce Rutan designed air-launched system for Falcon rockets
|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/12/stratolaunch-rutan-designed-air-launched-system-falcon-rockets/
|access-date=December 14, 2011
|newspaper=NASAspaceflightnow.com
|date=December 13, 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216191203/http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/12/stratolaunch-rutan-designed-air-launched-system-falcon-rockets/
|archive-date=December 16, 2011
|url-status=dead
}} As initially conceived with the SpaceX Falcon 9 Air (F9A) launch vehicle, Stratolaunch was to initially place satellites of up to {{convert|6100|kg|lb|abbr=in}} into low Earth orbit; and once established as a reliable system, announced that it would explore a human-rated version.{{cite news |last=Mecham |first=Michael |title=Stratolaunch Aims to Break Affordability Barrier |url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/awx/2011/12/13/awx_12_13_2011_p0-405946.xml&headline=Stratolaunch%20Aims%20to%20Break%20Affordability%20Barrier |access-date=December 14, 2011 |newspaper=Aviation Week |date=December 14, 2011 |location=New York |quote=The first test flight of the carrier aircraft is planned in 2015 from Scaled Composites’ home in Mojave, Calif.}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The system can take off from airfields with a minimum {{convert|3700|m|ft|abbr=in|sp=us}} length, and the F9A carrier aircraft was proposed to travel to a launch point up to {{convert|2200|km|nmi|abbr=in|sp=us}} away from the airfield and fly at a launch altitude of {{convert|9100|m|ft|-4|abbr=in|sp=us}}.
A month after the initial announcement, Stratolaunch confirmed that the first stage of the F9A launch vehicle would have only four engines, not the five that were shown in the mission video in December, and that they would be SpaceX Merlin 1D engines.{{cite web |last=Belfiore |first=Michael |title=Stratolaunch: world's biggest airplane to launch spaceships |date=January 5, 2012 |url=http://michaelbelfiore.com/2012/01/stratolaunch-worlds-biggest-airplane-to-launch-spaceships.html |access-date=January 14, 2012 |quote=The Falcon 4 will be powered by 4 SpaceX Merlin IB engines. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111122910/http://michaelbelfiore.com/2012/01/stratolaunch-worlds-biggest-airplane-to-launch-spaceships.html |archive-date=January 11, 2012 }}
As initially announced, Stratolaunch Systems was a collaborative project that included subcontractors SpaceX, Scaled Composites, and Dynetics, with funding provided by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen's Vulcan investment and project management company.
{{cite news
|last=Paur
|first=Jason
|title=Microsoft Billionaire Paul Allen Launches New Space Venture
|url=https://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/12/rutan-allen-musk-team-up-for-orbit
|access-date=November 14, 2011
|newspaper=Wired
|date=December 13, 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107211612/http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/12/rutan-allen-musk-team-up-for-orbit
|archive-date=January 7, 2012
|location=New York
|url-status=dead
}} Stratolaunch set out to build a mobile launch system with three primary components: a carrier aircraft (aircraft concept was designed by Burt Rutan, but the aircraft will be designed and built by Scaled Composites); a multi-stage launch vehicle to be developed and built by SpaceX; and a mating and integration system—allowing the carrier aircraft to safely carry and release the booster—to be built by Dynetics, a Huntsville, Alabama-based engineering company. The whole system will be the largest aircraft ever built; with the first test flight of the carrier aircraft originally expected in 2015 from Scaled Composites' facilities in Mojave, California, while the first test launch of the rocket was not expected before 2016 at the time of the project getting underway.{{cite news |last=Chow |first=Denise |title=Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Unveils Giant Plane for Private Space Launches |url=http://www.space.com/13915-paul-allen-giant-plane-stratolaunch-systems-private-space.html |access-date=December 14, 2011 |newspaper=Space.com |date=December 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213194921/http://www.space.com/13915-paul-allen-giant-plane-stratolaunch-systems-private-space.html |archive-date=December 13, 2011 |location=New York |url-status=dead }}
As the Stratolaunch development program progressed, it became clear that Stratolaunch and the system integrator, Dynetics, wanted modifications to the SpaceX basic launch-vehicle design that SpaceX felt were not strategic to the direction they were growing the company. These included requested modifications to the launch vehicle to add chines.
Development ceased in the fourth quarter of 2012, as SpaceX and Stratolaunch "amicably agreed to end [their] contractual relationship because the [Stratolaunch] launch vehicle design [had] departed significantly from the Falcon derivative vehicle envisioned by SpaceX and does not fit well with [SpaceX's] long-term strategic business model".
On November 27, 2012, Stratolaunch announced that they would partner with Orbital Sciences Corporation—initially on an air-launched vehicle study contract—instead of SpaceX, effectively ending development of the Falcon 9 Air.
{{cite news |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/stratolaunch-and-spacex-part-ways-379516/ |last=Rosenberg |first=Zach |title=Stratolaunch and SpaceX part ways |date=November 27, 2012 |publisher=Flight Global |access-date=November 29, 2012}}
In May 2013, the Falcon 9 Air was eventually replaced in the development plan by the Orbital Sciences Pegasus II air-launched rocket.{{cite news |last=Bergin|first=Chris |title=Stratolaunch and Orbital – The Height of Air Launch |url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/05/stratolaunch-orbital-air-launch/ |access-date=May 24, 2013 |newspaper=NASA SpaceFlight |date=May 25, 2013 }}
Competitive position
SpaceX Falcon rockets are being offered to the launch industry at highly competitive prices, allowing SpaceX to build a large manifest of over 50 launches by late 2013, with two-thirds of them for commercial customers exclusive of US government flights.{{ cite news |last=Dean|first=James |title=SpaceX makes its point with Falcon 9 launch |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/12/04/spacex-launch-successful/3866655/ |access-date=December 7, 2013 |newspaper=USA Today |date=December 4, 2013 }}
In the US launch industry, SpaceX prices its product offerings well below its competition. Nevertheless, "somewhat incongruously, its primary US competitor, United Launch Alliance (ULA), still maintained (in early 2013) that it requires a large annual subsidy, which neither SpaceX nor Orbital Sciences receives, in order to remain financially viable, with the reason cited as a lack of market opportunity, a stance which seems to be in conflict with the market itself.Citation Needed "{{cite news |last=Money|first=Stewart |title=SpaceX Wins New Commercial Launch Order |url=http://innerspace.net/2013/01/30/spacex-wins-new-commercial-launch-order/ |access-date=February 1, 2013 |newspaper=Innerspace.net |date=January 30, 2013}}
SpaceX launched its first satellite to geostationary orbit in December 2013 (SES-8) and followed that a month later with its second, Thaicom 6, beginning to offer competition to the European and Russian launch providers that had been the major players in the commercial communications satellite market in recent years.{{ cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/007/131203launch/ |title=Falcon 9 rocket launches first commercial telecom payload |author=Stephen Clark |publisher=Spaceflight Now |date=December 3, 2013 |access-date=December 4, 2013 }}
SpaceX prices undercut its major competitors—the Ariane 5 and Proton—in this market.{{cite news |author=Clark |first=Stephen |date=November 24, 2013 |title=Sizing up America's place in the global launch industry |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/007/131124commercial/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203224447/http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/007/131124commercial/ |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |access-date=November 25, 2013 |publisher=Spaceflight Now}}
Moreover, SpaceX prices for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are much lower than the projected prices for Ariane 6, projected to be available in 2024.{{cite web |url=http://www.arianespace.com/press-release/ariane-6-series-production-begins-with-first-batch-of-14-launchers/ |title=Ariane 6 series production begins with first batch of 14 launchers |publisher=Arianespace |access-date=August 20, 2019}}
As a result of additional mission requirements for government launches, SpaceX prices US government missions somewhat higher than similar commercial missions, but has noted that even with those added services, Falcon 9 missions contracted to the government are still priced well below {{USD|100 million}} (even with approximately {{USD|9 million}} in special security charges for some missions) which is a very competitive price compared to ULA prices for government payloads of the same size.{{cite AV media |people=Gwynne Shotwell |date=March 21, 2014 |title=Broadcast 2212: Special Edition, interview with Gwynne Shotwell |medium=audio file |url=http://archived.thespaceshow.com/shows/2212-BWB-2014-03-21.mp3 |access-date=March 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322013556/http://archived.thespaceshow.com/shows/2212-BWB-2014-03-21.mp3 |archive-date=March 22, 2014 |format=mp3 |time=06:00–07:30 |publisher=The Space Show |id=2212 |quote=It is more expensive to do these missions; the Air Force asks for more stuff. The missions that we do for NASA under the NLS contract are also more expensive, because NASA asks to do more analysis, they have us provide more data to them, they have folks who reside here at SpaceX, and we need to provide engineering resources to them to respond to their questions. ... the NASA extra stuff is about $10 million; Air Force stuff is about an extra $20 million, and then if there is high security requirements that can add another 8–10 million. But all in, Falcon 9 prices are still well below $100 million, even with all the stuff, which is really quite a competitive price compared to what ULA is offering. |url-status = dead}}
ULA prices to the US government are nearly $400 million for current launches of Falcon 9- and Falcon Heavy-class payloads.{{cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1403/05spacexula/ |title=SpaceX, ULA spar over military contracting |author=William Harwood |publisher=Spaceflight Now |date=March 5, 2014 |access-date=March 7, 2014}}{{needs update|2019|September|date=September 2019}}
SpaceX had a rare coincidence of four rockets (all types of operational and under-development rockets) on all four of its orbital launch pads and two Dragon 2s (both types of Dragon 2s) on orbit on January 10, 2023.{{cite web |title=SpaceX had four rockets on four pads and two Dragons on orbit today—as CRS-26 Dragon departed the @space_station with Crew-5 Dragon still attached to the orbiting lab, Falcon Heavy rolled out of the hangar, two Falcon 9's readied for launch, and Ship 24 was stacked onto Booster 7 |url=https://mobile.twitter.com/spacex/status/1612698343691673601 |date=January 10, 2023 |website=Twitter |language=en}} This was coupled before the end of the year with SpaceX igniting all of their rockets within 24 hours on December 28–29, 2023 (Falcon family rockets launching on their missions and both Starship stages performing static fires).{{Cite web |last=Lea |first=Robert (last update) |date=December 28, 2023 |title=SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 23 Starlink satellites into orbit in final flight of 2023 |url=https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-6-36-satellites-launch-webcast |access-date=December 30, 2023 |website=Space.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Eric |date=December 20, 2023 |title=SpaceX completes static fire test in push toward third Starship launch |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/12/spacex-completes-static-fire-test-in-push-toward-third-starship-launch/ |access-date=December 30, 2023 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}
Comparison
{{note label|NoteA|A}} For Falcon 1 Flights 3 through 5. Merlin 1A was used for Falcon 1 Flights 1 and 2.{{cite web | title = Updates Archive | publisher = SpaceX | date = December 10, 2007 | url = http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=121007#Update121007 | access-date = June 12, 2008 | archive-date = April 5, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130405083840/http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=121007#Update121007 | url-status = dead }}
See also
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons|Falcon (rocket)|Falcon rockets}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130715094112/http://www.spacex.com/falcon9 Falcon 9 overview on SpaceX company website]
- [http://www.spacex.com/falcon-heavy Falcon Heavy overview on SpaceX company website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519020710/https://www.spacex.com/falcon-heavy |date=May 19, 2020 }}
{{SpaceX}}
{{Falcon rocket launches}}
{{Rocket families}}