![]() Falcon-Heavy (Block 5) (ex) (ViaSat 3.1) |
Falcon-9 is a liquid fueled orbital launch vehicle for medium to heavy sized missions, which was developed at SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp.). It is technologically based on the Falcon-1 launch vehicle. Both stages are Kerosene / LOX fueled.
The first stage, which will be reusable after recovery by powered landing, is to be powered by 9 of the SpaceX built Merlin-1C engines with regenerative cooling. The upper stage will use a single Merlin engine and will also be reusable. The Falcon-Heavy is offered with a 5.2 m fairing.
High inclination launches will launch from Vandenberg AFB. Launch site for low inclination launches is the former Shuttle pad at Cape Canaveral, LC-39A. An additional launch site at Boca Chica near Brownsville, Texas, was also under construction, but this site has in 2018 been dedicated for the Starship development.
The first flight for a Falcon-Heavy was originally planned for 2014 from Vandenberg, but has been moved to Cape Canaveral in 2015, eventually delayed to early 2018. All subsequent rockets are the improved Falcon-Heavy (Block 5) series.
Version | Strap-On | Stage 1 | Stage 2 |
---|---|---|---|
Falcon-Heavy (Block 5) (ex) | 2 × Stage 1 (str.) / 9 × Merlin-1D (upr.+) | Stage 1 (str.) / 9 × Merlin-1D (upr.+) | Stage 2 (str.) / Merlin-1D-Vac (upr.+) |
Performance (kg) | LEO | LPEO | SSO | GTO | GEO | MolO | IP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcon-Heavy (Block 5) (ex) | 63800 | 26700 | 16800 |
No. TypNo Type Serial/Core Date LS Payload
226 1 Falcon-Heavy b5(ex) B1068.1/53.3/52.8 01.05.2023 CCK LC-39A ViaSat 3.1 / Arcturus / G-Space 1 planned launches: Falcon-Heavy b5(ex) . xx.10.2024 CCK LC-39A Europa Clipper Falcon-Heavy b5(Ex) . xx.xx.2024 CCK LC-39A PPE/HALO F failure P partial failure p partial failure (prime payload in usable orbit) r recovery failure (prime mission successful) n no recovery attempted (only for recoverable missions) Failures: Launch sites: CCK = NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USAVa = Vandenberg AFB, California, USA
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