Updates

Inaugural Falcon 9 / Dragon Flight Hardware Update

Monday, January 4, 2010

The SpaceX team kicked off 2010 with the successful full duration orbit insertion firing of the Falcon 9 second stage at our Texas test site (details below). This was the final stage firing required for launch, so the second stage will soon be packaged for shipment and should arrive at Cape Canaveral by end of month. Depending on how well full vehicle integration goes, launch should occur one to three months later.

2009 was an exciting year for SpaceX. In July, with the successful launch of RazakSAT, Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to put a commercial satellite in orbit. That same month, DragonEye — SpaceX's Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor — launched on NASA's STS-127 shuttle mission and successfully completed flight system trials in preparation for guiding the Dragon spacecraft as it approaches the International Space Station. We also hosted the first astronaut training day at our Hawthorne headquarters in preparation for flights to the Space Station.

Last year also saw the successful arc jet testing of PICA-X, SpaceX's high performance heat shield material developed in collaboration with NASA, which will be used to protect our Dragon spacecraft on reentry. And our Merlin Vacuum engine demonstrated the highest efficiency ever for an American hydrocarbon rocket engine. SpaceX also signed deals with several key customers, including CONAE (Argentina's National Commission on Space Activity), Astrium and Orbcomm.

The ongoing evolution of the commercial space industry was recently featured as the cover story (“The New Space Rush”) in Popular Science magazine. The article provided a great perspective on the industry as a whole, but I disagree with the subheading, “Who Needs NASA?”. If you read the article, it's clear their intent was just to convey excitement for the developments in commercial space, but obviously NASA is and always will be critical to the future of space exploration, particularly at the outer edge where there is no commercial market. Without NASA, SpaceX certainly would not be where it is today.

As we get closer to our first Falcon 9 launch, SpaceX would like to thank NASA, the Air Force, the FAA, and our commercial customers for their continued support. And, of course, I would like to thank the whole SpaceX team for their unwavering commitment to our company and our mission, especially over these last few months. Through their hard work and dedication, 2010 promises to be another great year.

--Elon--

Falcon 9 First Stage

Prior to arrival at the Cape, the Falcon 9 first stage arrived at our Texas Test Site. There, we did a full checkout, raised it up to the top of the 72 meter (235 foot) tall test stand, and conducted two successful nine engine test firings — the first 10 seconds long, followed by a 30 second long firing three days later.

Test firing of the full flight first stage of Falcon 9, conducted Oct 16, 2009 at the SpaceX Texas Test Facility in McGregor.
Click to play video, and note the engines gimballing (steering) in the upper left camera.

Everything performed as planned; we then shipped the first stage to Florida and have commenced final processing in the hangar at the SpaceX launch site. Once all propulsion and avionics checkout processes are complete, we will move forward with stage mate, to be followed closely by vehicle transfer to the transporter erector, and a static fire shortly thereafter.

Falcon 9 first stage arriving in the hangar at Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Photo credit: SpaceX.

Falcon 9 Second Stage

Flight hardware for the Falcon 9 second stage also shipped to Texas, where it completed static load testing, and then was integrated with the previously tested Merlin Vacuum second stage engine. After performing system checkouts, we raised the stage up on to the newly completed Upper Stage test stand.

Installing the Falcon 9 second stage into the newest test stand at our Texas test site.
Photo credit: Chris Thompson, SpaceX.

In November we conducted the initial second stage test firing lasting forty seconds. This test involved a new test stand, a new flight stage, and it occurred as planned, on the first attempt without aborts or recycles.

First test firing of the full flight second stage of Falcon 9, conducted at the SpaceX Texas Test Facility in McGregor.

On January 2, 2010, the team completed a full duration orbit insertion firing (329 seconds) of the integrated Falcon 9 second stage. At full power, the Merlin Vacuum engine generates 411,000 N (92,500 lbs force) of thrust, and operates with the highest performance ever for an American-made hydrocarbon rocket engine.

Full duration orbit insertion firing of the Falcon 9 second stage, conducted on January 2, 2010. Click to play video.
(Click to play video)

Having multiple stands for testing individual engines, first and second stages, and Draco thrusters allows us great freedom in processing hardware for flight. Our manifest currently lists more than twenty-five Falcon 1e and Falcon 9 missions, seventeen of those with Dragon spacecraft, so all of our stands will be kept very active.

Merlin Vacuum Engine Expansion Nozzle

We recently fabricated and formed the first flight expansion nozzle for the Merlin Vacuum second stage engine. Made of a thin, high temperature alloy, the large expansion nozzle extends from the regeneratively cooled portion of the engine, and improves its performance in the vacuum of space. Standing 2.7 meters (9 feet) tall and 2.4 m (8 ft) in diameter, it resembles the nozzle used on our Falcon 1's second stage engine, only larger.

The Merlin Vacuum engine expansion nozzle measures 2.7 meters (9 feet) tall,
and most of it has a wall thickness of about 1/3 of a millimeter (1/64 of an inch).
Photo credit: SpaceX.

Interstage

The interstage physically joins the first and second stages, and houses the Merlin Vacuum engine during first stage ascent. The carbon composite cylinder measures 3.6 meters (12 feet) in diameter and nearly 8 m (26 ft) tall.

The top edge of the interstage contains a set of clamping collets that join the first and second stages during liftoff and ascent. After the first stage shuts down, the collets release, and three pneumatic pushers smoothly and forcefully separate the stages, clearing the second stage engine for ignition.

We recently conducted a series of full-scale tests verifying the performance of the separation system under a variety of load conditions. We placed the fully configured interstage in the Falcon 9 structural test stand in Texas, and mounted a large mass on top to simulate the second stage. During testing, the collets release the stage and the pushers force the simulated second stage high into the air. See video below.

The Falcon 9 Interstage (black cylinder at lower center) pushes away the simulated second stage (blue cylinder above).
A series of restraining cables and counterweights capture the load and prevent it from falling downwards.
(Click to play video)

This stage separation system resembles a larger version of the one successfully used on our Falcon 1 vehicle. Note that this system uses no explosives, making it safer to assemble and deploy, and increasing its overall reliability, as we can conduct multiple tests of every flight component, whereas an individual explosive device carries the risk of being fully testable only once — in actual use.

In addition to the stage separation system, the interstage also houses the parachute system that will aide in first stage recovery. Our Cape team has mated the interstage to the first stage and continues to finalize vehicle wiring in preparation for complete vehicle integration.

The Falcon 9 flight interstage in the Cape Canaveral launch site hangar prior to mating with the first stage.
Photo credit: SpaceX.

Dragon Qualification Spacecraft

As mentioned above, the inaugural Falcon 9 flight will loft our Dragon qualification spacecraft into orbit. After completing testing in Texas, the Dragon spacecraft shipped to the Cape in preparation for first flight.

First flight Dragon nosecone (tan, at left), spacecraft (middle) and trunk (right) in process at the SLC-40
launch pad hangar in Florida. Photo credit: SpaceX.

In preparation for flight, the Dragon spacecraft was mated to the trunk (see below), which in future flights will house both unpressurized payloads and the vehicle's solar panels. By flying the Dragon spacecraft configuration, we will obtain valuable data about its performance during the climb to orbit, which will support the following Falcon 9 flight — the first launch under the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. On that flight, an operational Dragon spacecraft will make several orbit of the Earth, followed by reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.

Pressurized portion of the Dragon spacecraft, top, mated to the cylindrical unpressurized trunk
section below, with nose cap in foreground. As Dragon has been designed from the start for human
transport, even the cargo and demonstration versions include windows
(circle at top, covered for protection during painting). Photo credit: SpaceX.

Launch Operations – Cape Canaveral SLC-40

As the flight hardware converges on Florida, many significant activities continue around our launch site in preparation for first flight.

Launch Mount

As with our Falcon 1 rocket, the Falcon 9 uses a “hold before launch” system where the launch mount firmly restrains the rocket as it develops full thrust. Once engine performance is verified, the rocket commands the launch mount to set it free.

The Falcon 9's four-part launch mount assembly performs several significant tasks. At rest, it supports the fully fueled Falcon 9, with a mass of over 330,000 kilograms (nearly three-quarters of a million pounds). Next, as the first stage's nine Merlin engines fire and reach full power of nearly 5 MN (over 1 million pounds force), the mounts must hold the vehicle down against the upward thrust.

Finally, upon command, the mounts release the rocket and then move out of the way, giving the nine engines maximum clearance as they lift the vehicle away from Earth.

Months of construction and testing converged into a series of final tests of the launch mount system. The four mount towers were attached to the base of the Transporter / Erector, and their hydraulically powered actuators checked to verify performance.

We then conducted a set of live load tests that simulated the significant downward and upward forces present during the launch sequence. We placed an actual Falcon 9 truss (the structure that joins the nine Merlin engines to the vehicle) into the launch mount, and used a crane and pneumatic cylinders to simulate the forces at liftoff. On command, the launch restraints let the truss fly free. See the video below.

Launch mount system test, with a crane pulling up on a Falcon 9 engine mount truss to simulate the
forces it will experience at liftoff. After releasing the rocket, the mount towers move back to give
maximum clearance to the departing vehicle.
(Click to play video)

Recovery Preparations

Both the Falcon 9 first stage and Dragon spacecraft are designed to be recovered. For this first demonstration flight, the Dragon spacecraft will remain in orbit but our team will attempt recovery of the Falcon 9 first stage and has commenced with recovery testing operations (see photo below).

Flotation testing of a portion of the recovery raft that will aid in returning the Falcon 9 first stage to land after flight.
Photo credit: SpaceX.

Other progress at SLC-40 includes:

• Nearing completion of a new hydraulic system to provide pressurized RP-1 propellant in support of hangar and pad checkout of vehicle Thrust Vector Control (TVC) systems.
• Nearing completion of new gaseous nitrogen system (used for pressurization, line purges, etc.), and a new helium system (used for vehicle pressurization, cooling and engine startup).
• Completion of the liquid nitrogen delivery system and final fill of 4,900 gallons to the site's storage tank.
• Installing new Payload Environmental Control System on the pad to keep future cargo loads comfortable during processing and preparation for launch.
• Functional testing of the new helium fill system. During loading, we chill the Falcon 9's helium storage tanks down to minus 184 degrees C (minus 300 degrees F).

• Multiple test deployments of the Transporter / Erector system (shown above), and the addition of vehicle fill and drain plumbing and umbilical support systems.
• Completed installation of a new dual-redundant, fault tolerant digital information network in support of mission operations and launch pad systems.
• Flow tests verifying the systems that will apply large amounts of water to the launch pad to provide noise and fire suppression during liftoff.

Mission Operations

Radio Tests

Back at our Hawthorne CA headquarters in mid-October we conducted a complete end-to-end test of our Dragon radio communications system with the NASA geosynchronous Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS).

From SpaceX's Hawthorne headquarters, Dragon's 20 watt transmitter and separate receiver antenna (rectangles at left)
communicate with NASA's TDRS 5 satellite on orbit 35,800 km (22,240 mi) above the Earth.
Photo credit: SpaceX.

The SpaceX communications flight hardware, developed with subcontractors Delta Microwave (Low Noise Amplifier), Quasonix (transmitter and receiver), and Haigh-Farr (antennas), emulated a complete Dragon spacecraft comm link, and successfully sent and received data through the TDRSS network. Commands were dispatched from our Hawthorne headquarters command station, to NASA JSC in Houston, across Texas to the TDRSS White Sands Ground Terminal, up to the TDRS 5 Spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit, and back down to the Dragon receiver on the ground in Hawthorne.

The test series demonstrated telemetry and command transmission at a variety of data rates up to 2.1 Mbps, and paves the way for using TDRSS on all fifteen of our Dragon missions for the COTS and Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) programs.

COTS Flight 2 Rehearsals

Also in Hawthorne, we recently completed a very successful joint mission simulation with NASA's Mission Operations Directorate where the team rehearsed the operations that will be conducted during the second COTS flight (the third Falcon 9 launch).

During that mission, dubbed “C2”, a Dragon Spacecraft will approach within 10 kilometers (6 miles) of the International Space Station, and check out navigation, communication and control systems in preparation for actual approach and berthing with the ISS.

Computer illustration showing a Dragon spacecraft approaching the ISS.
Image credit: SpaceX.

These tests help us progress towards the day when SpaceX will begin a series of twelve CRS cargo delivery missions for NASA to support the continued operation of the ISS.

Stay tuned for more Falcon 9 updates in the coming weeks as we head for launch in early 2010.

Dragon/Falcon 9 Update

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

We are now only a few months away from having the inaugural Falcon 9 launch vehicle on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral and ready to fly! The actual launch date will depend on weather and how we fit into the overall launch schedule at the Cape, so that is a little harder to predict. Based on prior experience, launch could be anywhere from one to three months after Falcon 9 is integrated at the Cape in November.

This initial test flight will carry our Dragon spacecraft qualification unit (see photos below), providing us with valuable aerodynamic and performance data for the Falcon 9 configuration that will fly on the following COTS and CRS missions for NASA. The second Falcon 9 flight will be the first flight of Dragon under the NASA COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation Services) program, where we will demonstrate Dragon's orbital maneuvering, communication and reentry capabilities.

The Dragon qualification unit being outfitted with test Draco thruster housings. Depending on mission requirements, Dragon will carry as many as eighteen Draco thrusters per capsule.

Though it will initially be used to transport cargo, the Dragon spacecraft was designed from the beginning to transport crew. Almost all the necessary launch vehicle and spacecraft systems employed in the cargo version of Dragon will also be employed in the crew version of Dragon. As such, Dragon's first cargo missions will provide valuable flight data that will be used in preparation for future crewed flight. This allows for a very aggressive development timeline—approximately 3 years from the time funding is provided to go from cargo to crew.

Test fitting the thermal protection panels that surround the thrusters on the Dragon qualification capsule. The panels must be strong, lightweight, and able to withstand the extreme conditions of space, as well as perform in close proximity to the operating thrusters.

The three year timeframe is driven by development of the launch escape system. This includes 18 months to complete development and qualification of the escape engine, in parallel with structures design, guidance, navigation & control, and supporting subsystems.

Radial bulkheads being installed on the completed pressure vessel for the first COTS Dragon spacecraft. The bays between the bulkheads house Draco thrusters, propellant tanks, parachutes and other vital systems.

Another 12 months will be required to perform various pad and flight abort tests, which are slated to take place at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility (Virginia). Under this timeline, the first crew launch would take place 30 months from the receipt of funding, leaving six months of schedule margin to allow for the unexpected.

DragonEye

With the help of NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office, the DragonEye Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor has already undergone flight system trials in preparation for guiding the Dragon spacecraft as it approaches the International Space Station (ISS).

DragonEye launched aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on July 15th, 2009 and tested successfully in proximity of the ISS (photos below). DragonEye provides three-dimensional images based on the amount of time it takes for a single laser pulse from the sensor to the reach a target and bounce back, providing range and bearing information from the Dragon spacecraft to the ISS.

DragonEye aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour as seen from the International Space Station. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Images on right captured by the DragonEye LIDAR system during its recent flight aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour (ISS image courtesy NASA).

Image on the right captured by the DragonEye system during its recent flight aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour (ISS Image courtesy NASA).

Dragon Parachute Load Testing

We have also recently completed the parachute load test which was the last part of the Dragon primary structure qualification. Dragon withstood both nominal and off-nominal vertical parachute loads up to 48,000 lbf applied to the main and drogue fittings. The spacecraft is being shipped back to California from our Texas test site where it will continue preparations for its first flight.

Dragon spacecraft undergoing load testing at SpaceX's testing site in McGregor, TX

Dragon with temporary frame installed over it to measure deflections at the ISS docking interface.

First Stage Engines

With twenty-two Falcon 9 flights currently listed on our launch manifest, we're continuing to ramp up all manufacturing lines. The pace of engine production continues to grow, with recent efforts focused on the nine Merlin engines, and one Merlin Vacuum engine for the upcoming inaugural Falcon 9 flight, as well as an identical set of Merlins for the second Falcon 9 flight. Together, the nine Merlin engines produce over 1 million pounds of thrust, and consume over half a million pounds of fuel and oxidizer in just under three minutes as they push the Falcon 9 out of Earth's atmosphere and into orbit.

Nine Merlin engines for the inaugural Falcon 9 flight, ready for integration on to the thrust structure.

Second Stage Engines

At our test facility in McGregor, Texas, testing continues on the Merlin Vacuum engine which will power the Falcon 9 second stage to orbit. Qualification testing was completed last week, and will be followed closely by acceptance testing of the first Merlin Vacuum flight engine for the inaugural launch.

Test firing the Merlin Vacuum development engine on our newest test stand at our Test Site in McGregor, Texas, just outside of Waco. Depending on schedule needs, we can conduct two or more tests per day on this test stand alone.

Click here to view the video tour of our Texas Test site with VP of Propulsion, Tom Mueller. Also, check out the September 2009 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine that profiles Tom and our propulsion systems.

Structures

The nine flight-ready Merlin first stage engines were integrated with the truss structure that evenly distributes their thrust upwards into the first stage tank. Above the truss, the carbon composite skirt (primer green in the photos below) houses the plumbing system that distributes the liquid oxygen (LOX) and RP-1 fuel to the engines.

The entire system was assembled and checked out in our Hawthorne facility, and then shipped to Texas for integration with the first stage propellant tanks, which recently completed proof and leak testing there. The F9 second stage has been shipped to Texas and is being prepped for structural testing which will begin this week, followed closely by stage separation testing.

Weighing in at over 7,700 kg (17,000 lbs), the thrust assembly and nine Merlin engines represents over half the dry mass of the Falcon 9 first stage.

A pair of cranes rotates the entire assembly to horizontal, and then lowers it on to the shipping frame. We then cover everything in a protective layer of shrink-wrap in preparation for travel.

The completed Falcon 9 engine structure departs for Texas, where we'll integrate it with the first stage tank, and conduct a test firing before heading to Cape Canaveral for launch.

Elsewhere in our Hawthorne plant, the launch vehicle for the second Falcon 9 flight is well underway. On the Friction Stir Welding (FSW) machine (above), the first stage tank passed the mid-point with the completion of the fuel tank welding. Additional barrel sections and one more dome will complete the LOX tank. The primary tank structure for the second flight's second stage has already been fabricated and is being processed next to the second stage for the first flight.

Note that the first and second stages use a common architecture such as the same 3.7 meter (12 foot) diameter aluminum-lithium barrels and domes, and we manufacture them utilizing the same systems and tooling. This approach greatly reduces overhead, inventory and production costs, and simultaneously contributes to increased reliability. These are essential aspects of how SpaceX improves reliability and lowers the cost of access to space.

Avionics

The vital electronics and software systems that will operate the Falcon 9 first flight have been integrated and completed final testing, as have our Dragon communications units destined for installation aboard the ISS. SpaceX's COTS UHF Communications Unit is scheduled to fly aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-129 this coming November. Read full press release here.

The COTS UHF Communications Unit system, shown here prior to delivery to NASA, will be delivered via the Space Shuttle to the ISS. The system will be installed prior to the approach and berthing on the final COTS mission, and will also see regular use in support of our continuing CRS cargo resupply missions.

Launch Operations

The Cape Canaveral launch site build-up and activation processes continues at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), our launch pad located a few miles south of the Space Shuttle launch sites on the Florida ‘space coast’. We have completed the new LOX ground handling and storage systems that will supply our Falcon 9 vehicles.

And we are finishing up numerous other systems that support safe and efficient launch operations. Other vital systems now in process include support for the storage and handling of RP-1 fuel, as well as nitrogen, helium, and the water deluge systems that help protect the pad and vehicle from the significant levels of thermal and acoustic energy created during launch.

Conducting the initial filling of the big liquid oxygen storage tank at Space Launch Complex 40.

SpaceX Congratulates Armadillo Aerospace

Monday, September 14th, 2009

SpaceX congratulates John Carmack and the entire Armadillo Aerospace team on the completion of the Level 2 requirements for the X PRIZE 2009 Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge! SpaceX is a proud supporter of the X PRIZE Foundation, a great example of innovation and inspiration in aerospace.

—Elon—

Falcon 1 | Flight 5

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Falcon 1 Successfully Delivers RazakSAT Satellite to Orbit

Hawthorne, CA – July 15, 2009 – Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) announces the successful launch of Falcon 1 Flight 5 launch vehicle and the precision placement of Malaysia's RazakSAT into Earth orbit.

“This marks another successful launch by the SpaceX team,” said Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX. “We are pleased to announce that Malaysia's RazakSAT, aboard Falcon 1, has achieved the intended orbit.”

Falcon 1, a two-stage, liquid oxygen/rocket-grade kerosene vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX, lifted off Monday, July 13, at 8:35 pm (PDT). Lift off occurred from the Reagan Test Site (RTS) on Omelek Island at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii.

RazakSAT was designed and built by Astronautic Technology (M) Sdn Bhd (ATSB), a pioneer and leader in the design and manufacture of satellites in Malaysia.

“Our ground systems were able to pick up communication from RazakSAT on its first pass,” said Norhizam Hamzah, Senior Vice President / Chief Technical Officer, Space Systems Division, ATSB. “The satellite is communicating as expected and our team will continue to monitor the data closely.”

Preliminary data indicates that the RazakSAT, equipped with a high resolution Medium-Sized Aperture Camera (MAC), achieved the intended Near-Equatorial Low Earth Orbit (NEqO) at 685 km altitude and a 9 degree inclination. The payload is expected to provide high resolution images of Malaysia that can be applied to land management, resource development and conservation, forestry and fish migration.

Liftoff of the Falcon 1 RazakSAT mission, from the SpaceX launch site on Omelek Island, US Army Kwajalein Atoll, in the Central Pacific, on 14 July 2009 at 03:35 UTC.

Falcon 9 | Flight 1

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

First Stage Engines

Engine testing for the inaugural Falcon 9 flight proceeds at a rapid pace with no major problems or concerns. Six of the nine first stage flight engines have completed acceptance testing and all nine flight engines are on schedule to complete acceptance testing by mid July.

Merlin 1C first stage engine firing on the stand at our Texas testing facility.

Second Stage Engine

Our Merlin Vacuum engine (MVac), which powers the Falcon 9 second stage, entered development with a skirt temperature too hot for flight, but we have since tuned down the engine and brought the nozzle temperature within flight specifications. The MVac will complete development by month's end, with qualification testing to follow in July.

Merlin Vacuum (MVac) engine firing on the test stand in Texas. Like the smaller engine on our Falcon 1 second stage, during flight
the MVac engine will also have a large radiatively cooled expansion nozzle to increase its performance in the vacuum of space.

Launch Operations

A key objective of taking Falcon 9 vertical at the Cape earlier this year was to validate ground systems interfaces and operations with the vehicle in its final flight configuration, prior to executing the launch campaign.

First Falcon 9 vehicle at Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 40, former launch site of the Titan IV rocket.

The successful operation allowed us to validate several key interfaces and operations including:

• Mechanical functionality of the erector and its physical fit with the vehicle
• Integration tooling interfaces and function
• Ground system control interfaces
• Environments testing
• Hydraulic systems testing
• Logistics, shipping and equipment handling
• Vehicle integration/mating operations (fairing, stages, erector)
• Vehicle lifting operations
• Launch mount operations

Since that time, our RP-1 system has become operational, the cryogenic Liquid Oxygen handling system is nearing completion, and we have completed construction of our horizontal vehicle integration hangar. The Transporter Erector is getting reassembled into flight configuration and will be back into system level testing in mid-July.

Exterior view of the vehicle integration building, located to the south of the launch pad.

Interior of the vehicle integration building showing the massive overhead crane system, each with a 20 ton lifting capacity.

Our 125,000 gallon liquid oxygen storage sphere (shown below) and supporting pumping station are nearing completion and will undergo cryo shock testing in early July. Next up for completion at the launch site will be auxiliary systems like TEA-TEB handling, spin start support systems, engine purge and launch pad water deluge systems, and Helium chill systems.

Structures

In preparation for the inaugural Falcon 9 flight, our Structures team is hard at work with qualification of the Falcon 9 primary structures. The Falcon 9 first stage with interstage is currently loaded in the structural qualification stand at our Texas facility. Qualification testing is expected to be complete by month's end and we expect to have fully qualified first and second flight stages at SLC-40 by end of summer.

Falcon 9 first stage and interstage (right) on the structural test stand in Texas. To the left is the our
largest test stand, used last November for our successful nine engine mission duration test firing.

The Falcon 9 truss and skirt assembly is complete and loaded in the structural test stand at our headquarters in Hawthorne, California. System checks begin today and proceed into qualification loading later this week. The entire test series will take about 3 weeks to complete.

Pending installation of the transfer tube, our Falcon 9 Flight 1 first stage tank will be completed this week, travel to Texas for proof and leak testing, and then move on to integration. Second stage tank build progress continues with secondary structure installations, and the Falcon 9 fairing build continues as well, with final assembly to start in approximately three to four weeks.

Progress continues on the hardware for Flight 2 of Falcon 9, which will feature our first demonstration flight under the COTS program of the Dragon spacecraft. The friction stir weld process is nearly complete for the second stage tank and the Falcon 9 interstage is in final assembly. In addition, skirt panels are complete through the layup process and ready for assembly integration.

Avionics

Development of the avionics suite for Falcon 9 and Dragon is nearing completion, with key units in final qualification testing and others in production.

Units already in production include:

• Remote Input/Output modules for Merlin engine control
• 10 Mbit/sec network switching nodes for Falcon 9 and Dragon
• High-energy-density Lithium-polymer batteries

SpaceX-developed CUCU (COTS Ultra high frequency Communication Unit) radio transceiver undergoing testing in Avionics'
EMI (electromagnetic interference) test chamber.

In addition, the COTS UHF Communications Unit (CUCU), a dual-redundant digital communications link for Dragon and the ISS, has passed qualification testing and four units are in production. CUCU units on Dragon and the ISS will provide radio communication between the two space vehicles during final approach and berthing of Dragon. The first CUCU production unit is scheduled to be transported by NASA to the ISS aboard the Space Shuttle in late in 2009.

Update

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

It's been an incredibly busy year so far at SpaceX and we continue to move full steam ahead. Of particular note are recent developments with respect to the Dragon spacecraft.

The image below shows the first joining of a full flight fidelity Dragon capsule and trunk section earlier this year on the manufacturing floor at our Hawthorne headquarters.

Standing over 23 feet tall in flight configuration, the stack included the Dragon qualification capsule and first flight trunk section, topped off with the carbon composite nose cap. The cap protects the spacecraft's common berthing mechanism ring, which enables it to join securely to the ISS, so that astronauts can access the interior of the capsule.

The trunk section then travelled to our Texas site where it completed structural testing in preparation for the first Dragon flight under the NASA COTS program, currently scheduled as the second Falcon 9 launch. During that flight, Dragon will make several orbits of the Earth, reenter the atmosphere and splashdown off the coast of Southern California. The gap between the capsule and trunk in the photo above will be filled by our lightweight, high performance PICA-X heat shield panels which will protect the capsule during reentry.

The engineering heat shield shown above has precisely machined test tiles fitted into place in their flight configuration. With 17 Dragon flights presently on our manifest, our PICA-X lab is operating non-stop to meet all our mission needs. SpaceX has come a long way since starting out in 2002 — all the way to Earth orbit. Our team now numbers over 700 and we're still hiring.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Sunday, January 11th, 2009

Here are more great shots of Falcon 9 vertical on the pad at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40):

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

Falcon 9 is now vertical at the Cape!

After a very smooth vehicle mating operation yesterday, we began the process of raising Falcon 9 at 12:45pm EST and approximately 30 minutes later, Falcon 9 was vertical at the Cape.

The process of taking Falcon 9 vertical was a critical step in preparation for our first Falcon 9 launch later this year. This accomplishment culminates several months of rapid progress, made possible only through the hard work and dedication of the entire SpaceX team. We will continue to post more photos as available but in the meantime, click the image below for some great time lapse video of the operation:

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket standing vertical on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral, FL.
Click any photo for time lapse video of the operation.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

Over the last few days, we kept just ahead of our schedule, rotating the launch deck vertical and mating the strongback. We also installed the main lift cylinders, and raised and lowered the launch mount. Today we took the erector to vertical using the hydraulics system (see below). Getting the erector operational is the final step before taking Falcon 9 vertical.

A view of the erector standing vertical on the launch mount base with the cradle on top.

Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX, with Falcon 9 at Cape Canaveral.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Monday, January 5th, 2009

The New Year got off to a great start for SpaceX with integration of Falcon 9 being completed a day ahead of schedule. Focus then shifted to the launch mount and erector and over the weekend, our team has made incredible progress.

Over the last few days, we flipped the launch mount base and installed it to the launch mount. We also installed the forward cradle and assembled the strongback in preparation for mating to the launch table base. Machining on the forward rail car assemblies was completed, with work on the aft rail car assembly quickly nearing completion, and a significant portion of the hydraulic systems were also installed.

Our next major milestone is rotation of the Launch Deck to vertical in order to initiate mating to the strongback, scheduled for Thursday, January 8th.

Assembling the cradle structure, which mounts at the top of the strongback. The cradle gently grabs the top of the 12 foot diameter Falcon 9 second stage just below the fairing.

The complete cradle attached to the top end of the strongback. A set of electric actuator cylinders operate the gripper. Once Falcon 9 is standing vertical, the cradle opens and the entire strongback tilts away from the rocket for launch.

Our welders finished assembly of the pieces of the launch mount, which we shipped in sections to the Cape. Measuring over 40 feet on a side, it forms the base of the mobile erector that holds the rocket to the pad up until the moment of launch. Total weight of this steel structure — about 97,000 lbs.

After raising the rocket and erector to vertical, the launch mount must be securely attached to the pad itself. A set of linkages (one visible at right) join the launcher to the pad, and a set of large kickback cylinders (center) lock it all in place.

The new Falcon 9 erector rides on four legacy rail cars — two at each end. They roll on the same tracks that once carried Titan rockets to the pad from the old integration building (now demolished) that was located south of the pad.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

Falcon 9 is now fully integrated at the Cape! Today we mated the 5.2 m payload fairing to the Falcon 9 first stage (see below). This was the final step in the integration process—one day ahead of schedule.

With Falcon 9 integrated, our focus shifts to the big launch mount and erector. All the pieces have been delivered, and the coming days will see a tremendous amount of welding to join them all together.

The long hours put in by the SpaceX team over the last several weeks, particularly the folks on the ground at the Cape, are certainly paying off. Once the launch mount and erector are complete, we'll transfer Falcon 9 on to the erector and raise it to vertical early in 2009. Happy New Year!

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Monday, December 29th, 2008

The integration of Falcon 9 continued steadily through the long Christmas holiday, and the images below show just how close Falcon 9 is to being completely integrated. Whether measured by weight or by cost, the majority of the Falcon 9 being assembled is actual flight hardware. If there are no unexpected delays, its possible Falcon 9 will be integrated before December 31st — certainly a great way to start off the New Year.

View of Falcon 9 nearing completion, with the Banana River in the distance.

Side view of the entire assembly (from left) engines, skirt, first stage tank, interstage, second stage and 5.2 meter payload fairing.

Erector arm pieces coming together, with the large steel launch mount below, as yet unpainted.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

Big news today was SpaceX winning the NASA CRS contract for an initial $1.6 billion, representing 12 flights to the International Space Station starting in 2010. The team here worked extremely hard to make this happen and we couldn't be more excited about not only our future, but the future of commercial spaceflight in the US and the impact this will have on our long-term efforts towards human space exploration.

Today was also a day of great progress at the Cape. The second stage arrived via flat bed truck (see below), along with both halves of the Falcon 9 fairing. In addition, our Falcon 9 engine assembly arrived as scheduled from Texas yesterday. Most major structures are now on site and being prepped for integration by December 31st.

Falcon 9 second stage (left) and the two 5.2 meter diameter fairing halves (right) arriving at the Cape

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

Yesterday we lifted the first stage off the shipping truck and lowered it onto the integration assemblies (shown below). With all of the F9 hardware currently at or on its way to the Cape, we are on track for a fully integrated launch vehicle by year's end.

Barring any unforeseen delays, the second stage and fairing are expected to arrive at the Cape by December 28th and will be mated on December 31st, just in time for the New Year.

The erector is also on track towards operational status in early January, with the base assembly to be aligned and tacked by December 26th and welding to be complete early in the New Year. Hold down assemblies are expected to arrive shortly after the New Year and with our ground control system at SLC-40 currently operational, it's just a matter of days before F9 is vertical at the Cape.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

Scheduled to arrive Monday at the Cape, the Falcon 9 engine assembly is shown below (minus the heat shield panels) as it was being prepped in Texas last week. Prior to shipping, the assembly was covered with a protective tarp and tie downs to protect it on the journey.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Friday, December 19th, 2008

A portion of the giant launch mount arrives and is moved into place by crane. Barring unforeseen road delays, all parts for the rocket and mount should arrive by the New Year.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

Just a great shot of the first stage tank at sunset, on the pad at SLC-40.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

Today we applied the large SpaceX logo to the side of the first stage flight tank. In the background, you can see the four lightning towers, positioned around the launch mount area, which will provide protection from Florida's frequent lightning storms.

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

The Falcon 9 first stage flight propellant tank arrived Tuesday night at Cape Canaveral, Florida, after its cross-country journey from Los Angeles. The tank measures 87 feet long and 12 feet in diameter — approximately the size of a 737 fuselage. As of December 16th, all Falcon 9 sections and ground support hardware had left Hawthorne and were on their way to the Cape.

Falcon 9 first stage flight propellant tank arriving at the Cape Tuesday night

Daytime view of Falcon 9 first stage flight propellant tank at the Cape

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Monday, December 15th, 2008

The combined interstage / Merlin Vacuum engine / second stage structure is wrapped and ready for the road. Though only half as long as the Falcon 9 first stage tank, this assembly has the same 12 foot diameter plus the width of the blue cradles, and so must travel as an oversized load. By tomorrow, all Falcon 9 sections and ground support hardware will have left Hawthorne headed for the Cape.

Combined interstage / Merlin Vacuum engine / second stage structure is wrapped and ready for the road

Separated and shrink wrapped for travel, the two halves of the 5.2 meter diameter (17 foot) fairing take to the highway as oversized loads on a pair of flatbed trucks. Even though they're designed to move at many times the speed of sound and reach the vacuum of space, the wrapping helps keep them clean and safe during their 2,600 mile trip along the Earth's surface.

One half of the F9 5.2m fairing, shrink wrapped for travel

The last of the assemblies leaves the Hawthorne headquarters on a rainy day in Los Angeles. In total, we have twelve trucks heading to the Cape with the rocket and supporting parts. All of the oversized loads in the shipment must follow a “daytime only” driving plan, which should get them to the Cape in about a week and a half.

Last load leaving Hawthorne for the Cape

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Sunday, December 14th, 2008

Over the weekend, we sandblasted, primed and painted the steel portion of the giant “strongback”, then strapped it to a truck for the ride to Florida. This structure forms the base of the strongback that raises the Falcon 9 to vertical on the pad.

Steel portion of the strongback

Attached to the second stage, but not visible here, the Merlin Vacuum engine rests within the carbon composite interstage (shown below connected to the shorter second stage). In actual flight, the Merlin Vacuum will have a large expansion nozzle that will nearly fill the interior of the interstage. However, the nozzle will not be used during this first standup at the Cape.

F9 second stage and carbon composite interstage

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Friday, December 12th, 2008

The picture below shows us test fitting the Falcon 9 second stage tank assembly onto the big 5.2 meter diameter fairing. The F9 second stage is simply a shorter version of the first stage, and uses most of the same tooling, material and manufacturing techniques. The Merlin Vacuum engine assembly will attach to the round opening on the dome. The Merlin Vacuum engine is similar to the Merlin 1C engine used in the first stage, but has a larger vacuum nozzle for efficiency.

Test fitting the Falcon 9 second stage tank assembly onto the big 5.2 meter diameter fairing

The silver “fittings” at the top of the carbon composite interstage (shown below) attach to the second stage and fit into the nine release system brackets, equally spaced around the top edge. Three long pusher assemblies will be installed into the long slots, also equally spaced around the top edge. After the first stage engines shut down, the pushers impart an all-important impulse to separate the stages before the second stage engine ignites.

F9 interstage with fittings and release system brackets

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Thursday, December 11th, 2008

Below you can see the F9 erector just before the aluminum section (in white) was loaded on a flat bed truck headed for the Cape. The erector is built in sections for weight and cost optimization—the main sections pin together for easy setup and break down (if necessary).

The aluminum section is 74 ft long, weighing 8,000 pounds, and the steel section is 53ft long, weighing 35,000 pounds. The steel section will be painted on Friday; our team of welders worked 24 hours a day for almost 6 weeks straight to complete the steel section.

Aluminum section of the erector leaving SpaceX for the Cape

Aluminum and steel sections of the erector on the SpaceX manufacturing floor

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

Below is a recent pic of us joining the barrel sections of the F9 second stage using the circumferential friction stir welding (FSW) machine shown below. The FSW joins metal without flames, sparking, inert gasses, or fumes, and produces a far superior weld in aluminum-lithium alloys as compared to traditional methods.

Also received the two side pieces of the launch mount today (shown below). Each piece measures roughly 14 feet long by 7 feet high.

Circumferential friction stir welding machine (FSW)

Side pieces of the launch mount, each roughly 14ft long by 7ft high

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Monday, December 8th, 2008

Welders at work on a portion of the giant launch mount. Fabricated completely in-house, this structure will help support the Falcon 9 on the launch pad at Complex 40.

Falcon 9 Launch Mount

Technicians move a tank dome onto the circumferential stir welding system to begin assembly of the Falcon 9 second stage tank. Constructed in the same manner as the first stage, and using similar domes and barrel sections, the second stage tank measures about 17 feet long, compared to the 87 foot length of first stage tank.

Falcon 9 second stage dome

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Friday, December 5th, 2008

The third variant of our Merlin engine, the Merlin Vacuum, powers the Falcon 9 second stage to orbit. The base of the regeneratively cooled combustion chamber and exhaust nozzle, shown here, attaches to an even larger expansion nozzle for maximizing performance in the vacuum of space. We will ship this flight hardware out to the Cape for integration onto the Falcon 9 second stage.

Merlin Vacuum Engine

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

Following our successful nine-engine firing, we were scheduled to begin disassembling the engine on Wednesday, December 3rd around 5 a.m. CST, but high winds prevented our team from climbing the vertical test stand (over 100ft tall) to begin the project. However, the winds calmed down on Thursday and we removed both the tank and engine assembly (shown below).

The thrust structure with nine Merlin engines descend by crane from the big vertical test stand. (The engine exhaust nozzles were removed and brought down separately.) These nine Merlin engines performed the recent mission-duration firing that lasted nearly three minutes, and we're now sending the entire assembly to the Cape for integration onto the Falcon 9 first stage flight tank hardware.

Thrust structure with nine Merlin engines

This afternoon, we rotated the first half of the F9 payload fairing in order to bring in the second fairing half and mate it to the first. At a diameter of 5.2m, the F9 payload fairing is capable of housing large payloads for delivery to both Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). Once joined, we will test-fit the complete fairing to the second stage and then both structures will head to the Cape.

Before: F9 payload fairing first half prepped for rotation

After: F9 payload fairing first half after rotation

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

At 87 feet long, the first stage tank will travel by flatbed truck on Thursday to arrive at the Cape in mid-December. In preparation for the trip, we wrapped the F9 1st stage tank with a custom fit tarp to protect it on the road. Once it arrives at the Cape, we will integrate the 1st stage tank with the engine assembly, which includes the F9 skirt, truss, prop lines and engines.

F9 1st stage tank being wrapped in preparation for shipment to the Cape

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

Today we used our overhead cranes to load the F9 first stage tank onto the shipping cradles. Nine SpaceX Merlin engines power the Falcon 9 first stage, with 95,000 lbs-f sea level thrust per engine for a total thrust on liftoff of 855,000 lbs-f.

F9 1st stage tank being loaded onto the shipping structure

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Monday, December 1st, 2008

Despite the holiday, there were people working around the clock over the weekend. Our F9 1st stage skirt (shown below) is being shipped to Texas tonight.

F9 skirt loaded onto truck to Texas

F9 skirt being wrapped for travel

Falcon 9 Progress Update

November 29th, 2008 - Thanksgiving Weekend

The F9 skirt shown below is one of many structures being prepped for shipping over the weekend. We also had the second half of the F9 payload fairing arrive on Wednesday. We'll spend most of the weekend prepping the F9 structures and finalizing shipping plans for getting them to Texas and the Cape.

Falcon 9 skirt being prepped for shipping on Monday

Falcon 9 Progress Update

November 25th, 2008

This morning we fitted the interstage to the F9 first stage tanks, ensuring there was good fit before the 1st stage tanks depart for the Cape. The interstage is made of a carbon fiber aluminum honeycomb structure and mates the first stage to the second stage. The interstage will finish assembly and be attached to the second stage before shipping to the Cape.

Interstage being fitted to the Falcon 9 first stage

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Posted Monday, November 24th, 2008

Today we fitted the F9 skirt to the fuel tank end of the 1st stage. Also had movement on the erector, with the upper aluminum truss just coming back from being painted. Activity on the floor is constant and will remain so throughout the week and weekend as we prepare the F9 structures for shipping to Texas for testing before they head to the Cape.

Falcon 9 skirt mated with fuel tank end of the 1st stage

Lower steel truss of the erector for taking the F9 vertical at the Cape

Upper aluminum truss of the erector

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Posted Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

On Saturday night, at about 10:30pm CST, we successfully conducted a full mission duration test firing of the Falcon 9 rocket first stage, lasting 178 seconds (nearly three minutes)! At full power, the rocket generated 855,000 pounds of thrust at sea level. In vacuum, the thrust increases to approximately one million pounds or four times the maximum thrust of a 747 aircraft. The nine Merlin engines consumed over half a million pounds of liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene during the test. Click the photo below to check out the video:

(Click picture to play video)

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Posted Friday, November 21st, 2008

The monster green of the original primer has been replaced by a clean glossy white. In the next couple days, we'll prep and test fit the F9 skirt with the fuel tank and the interstage to the liquid oxygen (LOX) end of the 1st stage shown below.

Falcon 9 flight 1st stage tanks and skirt painted, preparing for test fitting of skirt

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Posted Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

Our newly delivered 5.2m faring half--from tip to end, the fairing measures approximately 13.9 meters or 45.5 feet.

The F9 Payload Fairing half as it arrived on the shipping stand

Unloading the fairing half from the shipping stand

Falcon 9 Progress Update

Posted Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

Today, the payload fairing half for our first Falcon 9 arrived at the SpaceX headquarters via a flatbed truck. Tomorrow we'll remove it from the shipping structure so we can continue fit checking and preparing to ship to Cape Canaveral.

The first Falcon 9 payload fairing half arrives at SpaceX on a flatbed truck