5616 x 3744 px | 47,5 x 31,7 cm | 18,7 x 12,5 inches | 300dpi
Data acquisizione:
8 aprile 2016
Ubicazione:
Kennedy Space Centre, Merritt Island, Florida, U.S.A.
Altre informazioni:
Questa immagine potrebbe avere delle imperfezioni perché è storica o di reportage.
Falcon 9 is a family of two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicles, named for its use of nine engines, designed and manufactured by SpaceX. The Falcon 9 versions are the Falcon 9 v1.0 (retired), Falcon 9 v1.1 (retired), and the current Falcon 9 full thrust, a partially-reusable launch system. Both stages are powered by rocket engines that burn liquid oxygen (LOX) and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) propellants. The first stage is designed to be reusable, while the second stage is not. The Falcon 9 versions are in the medium-lift range of launch systems. The current Falcon 9 ("full thrust upgrade") can lift payloads of at least 13, 150 kilograms (28, 990 lb) to low Earth orbit, and at least 5, 300 kilograms (11, 700 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit. Full payload capacity is kept private, and may vary depending on whether the first stage follows a reusable or expendable flight profile. The Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule combination won a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract from NASA in 2008 to deliver cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The first commercial resupply mission to the ISS launched in October 2012. The initial version 1.0 design made five flights before it was retired in 2013. The version 1.1 design made a total of 15 flights beginning in 2013 before it was retired in January 2016. SpaceX is currently flying an improved and 30 percent higher performance version—Falcon 9 full thrust—after the 2013 upgrade of a 60 percent heavier Falcon 9 launch vehicle—the Falcon 9 v1.1—that flew from September 2013 on the sixth Falcon 9 launch, through January 2016 on the 21st F9 launch. The Falcon 9 full thrust will be the base for the Falcon Heavy launch vehicle. SpaceX intends to complete testing in order to achieve certification for the Falcon 9 to be human-rated for transporting NASA astronauts to the ISS as part of a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract,
