Falcon 1

Falcon 1 rocket in front of the FAA building in Washington DC.
Fact sheet
Function	Orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	SpaceX
Country of origin	USA
Size
Height	21.3 m (70 ft)
Diameter	1.7 m (5.5 ft)
Mass	38,555 kg (85,000 lb)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO	670 kg (1480 lb)
Payload to SSO	430 kg (990 lb)
Launch History
Status	Active
Launch sites	Omelek Island SLC-3W Vandenberg AFB LC-36 Cape Canaveral
Total launches	2
Failures	2
Maiden flight	March 24, 2006 22:30 GMT
First Stage
Engines	1 SpaceX Merlin
Thrust	454 kN (102,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	255 s (sea level) (2.6 kN·s/kg)
Burn time	169 seconds
Fuel	RP-1/LOX
Second Stage
Engines	1 SpaceX Kestrel
Thrust	31 kN (7,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	327 s (vacuum) (3.2 kN·s/kg))
Burn time	378 seconds
Fuel	RP-1/LOX

The Falcon 1 is a partially reusable launch system, designed and manufactured by SpaceX, a space-transportation startup company founded by entrepreneur and PayPal founder Elon Musk to provide commercial launch-to-space services. The two-stage-to-orbit rocket uses Lox/RP-1 for both stages, the first powered by a single Merlin engine and the second powered by a single Kestrel engine. Image File history File links SpaceX_falcon_Washington_DC.jpg File links The following pages link to this file: Falcon I ... FAA may refer to: Federal Aviation Administration in the United States Fleet Air Arm in the UK Royal Navy Fuerza Aérea Argentina in Argentina This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Flag Seal Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ... A Saturn V launch vehicle sends Apollo 15 on its way to the moon. ... The Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is a space-transportation startup company whose stated goal is to improve the cost and reliability of access to space ultimately by a factor of ten. It is based in El Segundo, California, USA. SpaceX is developing a family of partially reusable two-stage... The metre (American English:meter) is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The U.S. National Prototype Kilogram, which currently serves as the primary standard for measuring mass in the U.S. It was assigned to the United States in 1889 and is periodically recertified and traceable to the primary international standard, The Kilogram, held at the Bureau International des Poids et... The pound (abbreviations: lb or, sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass (called weight in everyday parlance) in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... In cargo transport, the payload is the valuable contents of the vehicle. ... A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit in which objects such as satellites are below intermediate circular orbit (ICO) and far below geostationary orbit, but typically around 350 - 1400 km above the Earths surface. ... By analogy with the geosynchronous orbit, a heliosynchronous orbit is a heliocentric orbit of radius 24. ... Omelek Island is part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. ... Vandenburg Air Force Bases Space Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3) was the first launch platform for the Atlas rocket system. ... Vandenberg Air Force Base is a base with a spaceport, located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... An Atlas III launches from LC-36B . Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) is a launch complex at Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island, Florida. ... The Bumper V-2 was the first missile launched at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. ... is the 83rd day of the year (84th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For alternate meanings of GMT, see GMT (disambiguation). ... SpaceX Merlin engine. ... Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newtons Second and Third Laws. ... The newton (symbol: N) is the SI unit of force. ... The pound-force is a non-SI unit of force or weight (properly abbreviated lbf or lbf). The pound-force is equal to a mass of one pound multiplied by the standard acceleration due to gravity on Earth (which is defined as exactly 9. ... Specific impulse (usually abbreviated Isp) is a way to describe the efficiency of rocket and jet engines. ... For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ... RP-1 (refined petroleum) is a highly refined form of kerosene similar to jet fuel, used in the United States as a rocket fuel. ... Lox can stand for any of several things: Lox (salmon) - a type of salmon produce LOx (oxidizer) - liquid oxygen used as oxidizer in aerospace The Lox - was a Yonkers, NY-based rap trio This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ... SpaceX Kestrel engine. ... Specific impulse (usually abbreviated Isp) is a way to describe the efficiency of rocket and jet engines. ... Look up Vacuum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... RP-1 (refined petroleum) is a highly refined form of kerosene similar to jet fuel, used in the United States as a rocket fuel. ... Lox can stand for any of several things: Lox (salmon) - a type of salmon produce LOx (oxidizer) - liquid oxygen used as oxidizer in aerospace The Lox - was a Yonkers, NY-based rap trio This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ... A Saturn V launch vehicle sends Apollo 15 on its way to the moon. ... The Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is a space-transportation startup company whose stated goal is to improve the cost and reliability of access to space ultimately by a factor of ten. It is based in El Segundo, California, USA. SpaceX is developing a family of partially reusable two-stage... Currently, the most common technology for space transport is rocket propulsion, which expels matter to provide a net forward thrust. ... A startup company is a company with a limited operating history. ... For the sequel to the computer game Entrepreneur, which has no article of it own, see The Corporate Machine. ... eBay North First Street satellite office campus (home to PayPal) PayPal is an e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. ... Elon Musk (born 28 June 1971) is an entrepreneur and founder of PayPal and SpaceX. He is chairman of Tesla Motors and SolarCity. ... A two stage to orbit (or TSTO) launch vehicle is a spacecraft in which two distinct stages provide propulsion consecutively in order to achieve orbital velocity. ... A Soyuz rocket, at Baikonur launch pad. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... RP-1 (refined petroleum) is a highly refined form of kerosene similar to jet fuel, used in the United States as a rocket fuel. ... SpaceX Merlin engine. ... The Kestrel engine is an upper stage RP-1 kerosene/liquid oxygen pressure-fed rocket engine. ...

Two test launches of the Falcon 1 have been conducted in 2006 and 2007, neither of which achieved orbit. According to SpaceX the second test launch was in their view however largely successful and Falcon 1 will now obtain operational status.^[1]

Design, components and launch sequence

According to SpaceX the Falcon 1 is designed to minimize price per launch for low-Earth-orbit satellites, increase reliability, optimize flight environment and time to launch.^[2] It is also intended to verify components and structural design concepts that will be reused in the Falcon 9. A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit in which objects such as satellites are below intermediate circular orbit (ICO) and far below geostationary orbit, but typically around 350 - 1400 km above the Earths surface. ... An Earth observation satellite, ERS 2 For other uses, see Satellite (disambiguation). ... The Falcon 9 is an EELV class launch vehicle to be built by SpaceX. Three variants are proposed and, if built, will provide payloads of between 8,700 kg and 24,750 kg to low Earth orbit, and between 3,100 kg and 9,650 kg to Geostationary transfer orbit. ...

At launch of the vehicle, the main engine of the first stage (Merlin) is ignited and throttled to full power while the launcher is restrained and all systems are verified by the flight computer. If the systems are operating correctly, the rocket is released and clears the tower in about seven seconds. The first-stage burn lasts about 2:49 minutes. Stage separation is accomplished with explosive bolts and a pneumatically actuated pusher system. The first stage returns by parachute to a water landing and is recovered for reuse, while the second stage is not reusable. The second stage with its Kestrel engine is ignited after stage separation and burns for another six minutes and inserts the payload into a low Earth orbit. Explosive bolts are known predominently for their use in the NASA Space Shuttle program. ... The Apollo 15 capsule landed safely despite a parachute failure. ...

First stage

First-stage view of the Merlin engine.

The first stage is made from friction-stir-welded aluminum alloy. It employs a common bulkhead between the LOX and RP-1 tanks, as well as flight pressure stabilization. It can be transported safely without pressurization (like the heavier Delta II isogrid design) but gains additional strength when pressurized for flight (like the Atlas II, which cannot be transported unpressurized). The resulting design has the highest mass fraction of any current first stage. The parachute system, built by Irvin Para­chute Corp­oration, uses a high-speed drogue chute and a main chute. Due to problems with LOX boil-off during the launch of the first vehicle, future vehicles are expected to have foam insulation applied to the exterior of the LOX tank. Image File history File links SpaceX_falcon_in_warehouse. ... Image File history File links SpaceX_falcon_in_warehouse. ... SpaceX Merlin engine. ... Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an exotic solid-state welding process (meaning the metal is not melted during the process) and is used for applications where the original metal characteristics must remain unchanged as far as possible. ... Aluminum is a soft and lightweight metal with a dull silvery appearance, due to a thin layer of oxidation that forms quickly when it is exposed to air. ... An alloy is a homogeneous mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal, and where the resulting material has metallic properties. ... The Delta II family of launch vehicles was designed and built by Boeings Integrated Defense Systems division and has been in service since 1989. ... Mission Atlas II is a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program. ... In aerospace engineering, the mass fraction is an important measure of a rockets efficiency. ... The Apollo 15 capsule landed safely despite a parachute failure. ...

Second stage

The second stage tanks are built with a cryogenic-compatible aluminum–lithium alloy. The helium pressurization system pumps propellant to the engine, supplies pressurized gas for the attitude control thrusters, and is used for zero-g propellant accumulation prior to engine restart. The pressure tanks are made by Arde corporation and are the same as those used in the Delta IV. They consist of an inconel shell wrapped by a composite. Cryogenics is the study of very low temperatures or the production of the same, and is often confused with cryobiology, the study of the effect of low temperatures on organisms, or the study of cryopreservation. ... General Name, Symbol, Number lithium, Li, 3 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 2, s Appearance silvery white/grey Standard atomic weight 6. ... General Name, Symbol, Number helium, He, 2 Chemical series noble gases Group, Period, Block 18, 1, s Appearance colorless Standard atomic weight 4. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ullage motor. ... It has been suggested that some sections of this article be split into a new article entitled Delta IV launches. ... Inconel® is a registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation referring to a family of austenitic nickel-based superalloys. ... A cloth of woven carbon fiber filaments, a common element in composite materials Composite materials (or composites for short) are engineered materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties and which remain separate and distinct within the finished structure. ...

Launch log

For alternate meanings of GMT, see GMT (disambiguation). ... is the 83rd day of the year (84th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Omelek Island is part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. ... FalconSAT-1 FalconSAT is the name of the United States Air Force Academys small satellite engineering program. ... March 21 is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Omelek Island is part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. ... Boilerplate version of Gemini spacecraft on display at Air Force Space and Missile Museum, Cape Canaveral, Florida October 15, 2004. ... Oscillation is the variation, typically in time, of some measure as seen, for example, in a swinging pendulum. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Omelek Island is part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. ... TacSat-1 TacSat-1 is an experimental satellite built by the Naval Research Laboratory on behalf of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) Office of Force Transformation (OFT). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Omelek Island is part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. ... RazakSat RazakSAT is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Malaysian satellite that is currently (as of July 2007) scheduled to be launched on board the Falcon 1 in the third quarter of 2007. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Vandenberg Air Force Base is a base with a spaceport, located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... SpaceDev is an innovative publicly traded space development company in the aerospace industry, now most prominent for its spaceflight and microsatellite work. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Vandenberg Air Force Base is a base with a spaceport, located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Vandenberg Air Force Base is a base with a spaceport, located in Santa Barbara County, California. ...

Launches

First test flight

Launch sequence (maiden flight example); time scale is in seconds.

The maiden flight of the Falcon 1 was launched on Saturday, 24 March 2006 at 22:30 UTC. It ended in failure about a minute into the flight due to a fuel line leak and subsequent fire. The launch took place from the SpaceX spaceport at Omelek Island in the Marshall Islands. Image File history File links Falcon_1_fire. ... SpaceX Merlin engine. ... is the 83rd day of the year (84th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Omelek Island is part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. ...

The launch was postponed several times due to various technical issues with the new vehicle. Scheduling conflicts with a Titan IV launch at Vandenburg also caused delays and resulted in the launch moving to the Reagan Test Site in the Kwajalein Atoll. The first launch attempt on 19 December 2005 was scrubbed when a faulty valve caused a vacuum in the first stage fuel tank which sucked inward and caused structural damage. After replacing the first stage, Falcon 1 launched Saturday, 25 March 2006 at 09:30 local time. The DARPA payload was the United States Air Force Academy’s FalconSAT–2, which would have measured space plasma phenomena. The Titan IV family (including the IVA and IVB) of space boosters are used by the US Air Force. ... Kwajalein infrastructure and RTS headquarters, click to enlarge. ... Infantry inspect a hole in the devasted Kwajalein Atoll Kwajalein Atoll is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), 2,100 nautical miles (3900 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, at 8. ... is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fiji Gilbert Islands, Kiribati Marshall Islands New Zealand (except Chatham Islands) Korsae, Micronesia Nauru Parts of Russia: Kamchatka Oblast Koryakia Autonomous District Chukotka Autonomous District Tuvalu Wake Island Wallis and Futuna External links Find cities currently in UTC+12 Category: ... The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military. ... The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA or Air Force),[1] located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air Force. ... FalconSAT-1 FalconSAT is the name of the United States Air Force Academys small satellite engineering program. ... A plasma lamp, illustrating some of the more complex phenomena of a plasma, including filamentation. ...

The vehicle had a noticeable rolling motion after liftoff, as shown on the launch video, rocking back and forth a bit, and then at T+26 seconds rapidly pitched over. Impact occurred at T+41 seconds onto a dead reef about 250 feet from the launch site. The FalconSAT–2 payload separated from the booster and landed on the island, with damage reports varying from slight to significant.^[5] FalconSAT-1 FalconSAT is the name of the United States Air Force Academys small satellite engineering program. ...

SpaceX initially attributed the fire to an improperly tightened fuel-line nut. A later review by DARPA found that the nut was properly tightened, since its locking wire was still in place, but had failed due to corrosion. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military. ...

SpaceX implemented numerous changes to the rocket design and software to prevent this type of failure from reoccurring, including stainless steel to replace aluminum hardware and pre-liftoff computer checks that increased by a factor of thirty. ^{[6] [7]}.

Second test flight

Events leading to launch

The second test flight was originally scheduled for January, but was delayed due to problems with the second stage. Before the January launch date, SpaceX had stated earlier potential launch dates, moving from September 2006 to November and December. In December the launch was rescheduled for 9 March, but delayed because of range availability issues caused by a Minuteman III test flight which would re-enter over Kwajelen. The launch attempt on 19 March was delayed 45 minutes from 23:00 GMT due to a data relay issue, and then scrubbed one minute and two seconds before launch at 23:45 due to a computer issue, whereby the safety computer incorrectly detected a transmission failure due to a hardware delay of a few milliseconds in the process. The 20 March attempt was delayed 65 minutes, from an originally planned time of 23:00 due to a problem with communications between one of the NASA experiments in the payload, and the TDRS system. is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The LGM-30 Minuteman is a United States nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) (the other type is the LG-118A Peacekeeper, which is to be phased out by 2005). ... is the 78th day of the year (79th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... One millisecond is one-thousandth of a second. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... First Generation TDRS Second Generation TDRS A Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) is a one of a network of communications satellites used by NASA and other United States government agencies for communication to satellites or the International Space Station. ...

The launch attempt on March 21, 2007 was aborted at 00:05 GMT at the last second before launch and after the engine had ignited. It was however decided that another launch should be made the same day. The rocket was launched successfully at 01:10 GMT on 21 March 2007 with a DemoSat payload for DARPA and NASA. The rocket performed well during the first stage burn. However, during staging, the interstage fairing on the top of the first stage bumped the second stage engine bell ^[8]. The bump occurred as the second stage nozzle exited the interstage, with the first stage rotating much higher than expected (a rotation rate of about 2.5 deg/sec vs. expected rate of 0.5 deg/sec maximum), thereby making contact with the niobium nozzle of the second stage. Elon Musk reported that the bump did not appear to have caused damage, and that the reason why they chose a niobium skirt instead of carbon-carbon was to prevent problematic damage in the event of such incidents. Shortly after second stage ignition, a stabilization ring detached from the engine bell as designed^[9]. At around T+4:20, a circular coning oscillation began that increased in amplitude until video was lost. At T+5:01, the vehicle started to roll and telemetry ended. According to Elon Musk, the second stage engine shut down at T+7.5 minutes due to a roll control issue. Sloshing of propellant in the LOX tank increased oscillation. This oscillation would normally have been dampened by the Thrust Vector Control system in the second stage, but the bump to the second nozzle during separation caused an overcompensation in the correction.^[10] The rocket continued to within one minute of its desired location, and also managed to deploy the satellite mass simulator ring. While the webcast video ended prematurely, SpaceX was able to retrieve telemetry for the entire flight. ^[11] The status of the first stage is unknown; it was not recovered due to problems with a nonfunctioning GPS tracking device. The rocket reached a final altitude of 289 km (156 miles) and a final velocity of 5.1 km/s, compared to 7.5 km/s needed for orbit. March 21 is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Boilerplate version of Gemini spacecraft on display at Air Force Space and Missile Museum, Cape Canaveral, Florida October 15, 2004. ... The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... General Name, Symbol, Number niobium, Nb, 41 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 5, 5, d Appearance gray metallic Standard atomic weight 92. ... Elon Musk (born 28 June 1971) is an entrepreneur and founder of PayPal and SpaceX. He is chairman of Tesla Motors and SolarCity. ...

SpaceX reaction and proposed remedy of problems

SpaceX characterized the test flight as a success, having flight proven over 95% of Falcon 1's systems. Their primary objectives for this launch were to test responsive launch procedures and gather data. ^[3] According to Musk, the SpaceX team intends to have both a diagnosis and solution vetted by third party experts. Musk believes the slosh issue can be corrected by adding baffles to the second stage LOX tank and adjusting the control logic. Furthermore, the Merlin shutdown transient can be addressed by initiating shutdown at a much lower thrust level, albeit at some risk to engine reusability. The SpaceX team intends to work the problem to avoid a reoccurrence as they change over into the operational phase for Falcon 1. ^[1] NASA Technology Readiness Levels Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is a measure used by some United States government agencies to assess the maturity of evolving technologies (materials, components, devices, etc. ... In a two-party system a third party is a party other than the two dominant ones. ...

Further missions

The third flight will also be from Omelek, carrying the Naval Research Laboratory TacSat-1. This will be the first "operational" flight of Falcon 1. This mission was originally scheduled for 2005, from Vandenberg AFB, but delays due to the Titan launch, and problems with the rocket pushed it into mid-2006. It was then delayed further, as the failure of the maiden flight necessitated a second test mission. It is currently scheduled for September, 2007.^[12] This flight is also scheduled to carry a space burial payload including cremated remains of James Doohan, Gordon Cooper, and others.^[13]) Bust of Thomas Edison at the front gate of the Naval Research Laboratory. ... TacSat-1 TacSat-1 is an experimental satellite built by the Naval Research Laboratory on behalf of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) Office of Force Transformation (OFT). ... Vandenberg Air Force Base is a base with a spaceport, located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... Taurus Missile launch (time exposure) Space burial is a burial procedure in which a small sample of the cremated ashes of the deceased are placed in a capsule the size of a tube of lipstick and are launched using a rocket. ... With regard to living things, a body is the integral physical material of an individual, and contrasts with soul, personality and behavior. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Leroy Gordon Gordo Cooper, Jr. ...

Private funding

The Falcon 1 rocket is a largely privately funded and developed orbital launch vehicle. The only other orbital launch vehicle, that has been claimed to be privately funded and developed is the Pegasus (rocket) first launched in 1990. Orbital Sciences, the manufacturer and operator of the Pegasus claims that it is the first privately developed rocket able to reach orbit ^[14]. Other sources have claimed that the Falcon 1 is the first privately funded orbital space vehicle that would be capable of reaching orbit.^[15] Pegasus rocket on the ground Pegasus rocket attached to bottom of carrier aircraft The Pegasus rocket is a winged space booster developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital). ... Categories: Stub ...

While the development of Falcon 1 was privately funded, both Falcon 1 test launches have been paid for by the U.S. Deparment of Defense under a program that evaluates new US launch vehicles suitable for use by DARPA. ^[16] The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military. ...

Pricing

SpaceX is one of the few launch system operators that communicate launch prices to the public. Falcon 1 has been advertised as costing $5.9 million as early as 2005. ^[17] In 2006 until 2007 the quoted price of the rocket when operational was $6.7 million. ^[18] Most recently SpaceX has announced new prices for the Falcon 1 and an enhanced Falcon 1e, which should go operational in 2009. The price for Falcon 1 is now set at $7 million and the price for Falcon 1e at $8.5 million.^[2] SpaceX notes that small discounts may be available for multi-launch contracts.

Launch sites

The Falcon 1 can be launched from five different sites, with the first two flights lifting off from Kwajalein. Kwajalein Atoll - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Kwajalein Atoll (Marshallese: Kuwajleen) is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). ...

• Vandenberg Air Force Base, Pad 3W

Elon Musk has reportedly said the Air Force may evict SpaceX from its Vandenberg launch site because of safety concerns expressed by United Launch Alliance, which launches the Atlas V rocket from a neighboring launch site at SLC-3W.^[19]

• Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 40.^[20]
• Kwajalein Atoll (Omelek Island), part of the Reagan Test Site
• Kodiak Island
• Wallops Island

Boeing Delta 4 Medium+ (4,2) lifts off from Space Launch Complex Six (SLC-6) at Vandenberg AFB, California (Official photo by Thom Baur for the Boeing Company) Vandenberg Air Force Base (IATA: VBG, ICAO: KVBG) is a United States military installation with a spaceport, in Santa Barbara County, California... United Launch Alliance is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. ... Atlas V is a launch vehicle formerly built by Lockheed Martin and now built by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance in Decatur, Alabama. ... Vandenburg Air Force Bases Space Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3) was the first launch platform for the Atlas rocket system. ... Launch Complex 40. ... Kwajalein Atoll - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Kwajalein Atoll (Marshallese: Kuwajleen) is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). ... Omelek Island is part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. ... Kwajalein infrastructure and RTS headquarters, click to enlarge. ... The Kodiak Launch center (also KLC) is a commercial rocket launching site at 57°2609 northern latitude and 152°2016 western length. ... Wallops Flight Facility Coordinates: Latitude 37. ...

Notes

External links

• SpaceX Falcon 1 details page
• Space Services Inc. space burial page
• Maiden launch details at SpaceFlightNow
• "SpaceX rocket fails first flight", BBC News, 24 March 2006. 
• Damage puts first SpaceX rocket launch on hold, Spaceflight Now, 19 December 2005
• Video telemetry of launch failure at YouTube
• Video telemetry from the Falcon 1 launch at YouTube