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The Falcon V is a Falcon family two stage to orbit RP-1 kerosene/ liquid oxygen mostly reusable launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX. The lower stage includes five Merlin engines and the upper stage includes one Merlin engine. The Falcon V is designed for maximum reliability and safety, being the first American rocket since the Saturn V to have " engine out " capability on the first stage, with failure of up to three Merlin engines resulting in a successful flight, depending on when during flight the engine failure takes place. The Falcon V is also the first American orbital launch vehicle designed to be man-rated (i.e., certified for human transportation) since the Space Shuttle.The Falcon V will be launched from Pad 3W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Marshall Islands , Kodiak Island , and Wallops Island. The maiden flight of the Falcon V is planned for November, 2005, from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying a Bigelow Aerospace Genesis Pathfinder expandable space station module prototype. Launch costs are expected to be US$12 million plus range fees for a launch into low earth orbit (LEO), and US$20 million for a launch into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
1 Payload Capabilities
- 200 km, 28 degrees: 6,020 kg
- 400 km, 51 degrees ( International Space StationOverview Continuing on from the United States' Skylab and Russia's Mir, the International Space Station ISS represents a permanent human presence in space: it has been manned with a crew of at least two since November 2, 2000. Each time that the crew is r): 5,450 kg
- 700 km, sun synchronous: 4,780 kg
- GTO, 9 degrees: 1,920 kg
- Escape VelocityEscape Velocity means two things: the term escape velocity in physics the computer game Escape Velocity . (no kick stage): 1,200 kg
Please note that these capabilities are subject to change, based upon further testing.
2 Vehicle Details
- Length: 100 feet (30 meters)
- Diameter: 12 feet (3.65 meters)
- Weight/Mass: 400,000 pounds (181,400 kg)
- Thrust on Liftoff: 500,000 pounds (2,237 kN)
- Engines: 5 lower stage Merlin engines; 1 upper stage Merlin engine
- Fuel: RP-1 rocket grade kerosene
- Oxidizer: Liquid oxygen
3 Sources and External Links
Space launch vehicles
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