VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

BELGAUM-590 018

BAPUJI INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

Davangere-577004, KARNATAKA

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION

ENGINEERING

EIGHTH SEMESTER

SEMINAR REPORT ON
FALCON 9:REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE
DELIVERED BY

C SARAVANA KUMAR

4BD12EC020

ON 3rd MARCH 2016

GUIDE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

Smt.BANUMATHI K L Dr.G.S SUNITHA
M.Tech M.Tech(DEAC),Ph.D.,MISTE,MIETE
 BAPUJI INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
DAVANGERE,KARNATAKA-577004

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

Certificate

Mr.C SARAVANA KUMAR bearing USN:4BD12EC020 has delivered the seminar

entitled ”FALCON 9:REUSABLE LAUNCH VECHILE” on 03 MARCH 2016. He has
submitted seminar report with all correction and modification suggested by seminar
supervisors. The seminar presentation has been accepted for final evaluation.

....................................... .................................
Smt.BANUMATHI K L Dr. G S Sunitha
M.Tech M.Tech(DEAC),Ph.D.,MISTE,MIETE

Project Guide Prof. & Head

 Abstract

FALCON 9 believes a fully and rapidly reusable rocket is the pivotal breakthrough needed
to substantially reduce the cost of space access. The majority of the launch cost comes from
building the rocket, which flies only once. Compare that to a commercial airliner - each
new plane costs about the same as Falcon 9, but can fly multiple times per day, and conduct
tens of thousands of flights over its lifetime. Following the commercial model, a rapidly
reusable space launch vehicle could reduce the cost of traveling to space by a hundredfold.
While most rockets are designed to burn up on reentry, Falcon 9 rockets are designed
not only to withstand reentry, but also to return to the launch pad or ocean landing site
for a vertical landing.
The main idea was trying to understand why rockets were so expensive. Obviously
the lowest cost you can make anything for is the spot value of the material constituents.
Musk formed Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, with two staggeringly ambitious
goals: To make spaceflight routine and affordable, and to make humans a multi-planet
species.
 Table of Contents

Abstract ii

List of Figures v

1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Company Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.2 Space flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3 Launch vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3.1 Types of Launch vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.4 Facts about Launch Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.4.1 ISRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2 FALCON FAMILY 4

2.1 Falcon Program Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2.2 Falcon 9 Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3 FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION 6

3.1 Falcon 9R Vehicle Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3.2 Falcon 9 Reusable Launch vehicle Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.3 Falcon 9R First stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.3.1 First stage Re-Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.4 Falcon 9R Second stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.5 Payload Fairing and Dragon V2 Spacecraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

4 FALCON 9 RE-USABLE LAUNCH VERTICAL LANDING IMAGES 14

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 Table of Contents

5 FALCON 9 OVERVIER 16

5.1 Falcon launch vehicle safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

5.2 Retention, Release and Separation Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5.3 Programming in F9R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

6 APPLICATIONS AND ADVANTAGES 19

6.1 Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6.2 Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6.3 Disadvantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

7 CONCLUSION 21

8 REFERENCE 22

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 List of Figures

2.1 SpaceX vehicles are designed for high cross-platform commonality . . . . 4

2.2 Falcon Launch vehicle Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3.1 Falcon 9R Technical Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3.2 Falcon 9R Interior Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.3 Falcon 9 landing legs and grid fins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.4 Drone landing pad in pacific ocean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.5 Stage 2 separating from stage 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.6 Payload fairing and Dragon spacecraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.7 Launching and Vertical Landing of F9R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

5.1 Vehicle safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

5.2 Stages parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

v
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Company Description

SpaceX offers a family of launch vehicles that improve launch reliability and increase
access to space. The company was founded on the philosophy that simplicity, reliability and
cost effectiveness are closely connected. We approach all elements of launch services with
a focus on simplicity to both increase reliability and lower cost. The SpaceX corporate
structure is flat and business processes are lean, resulting in fast decision-making and
product delivery. SpaceX products are designed to require low-infrastructure facilities
with little overhead, while vehicle design teams are co-located with production and quality
assurance staff to tighten the critical feedback loop. The result is highly reliable and
producible launch vehicles with quality embedded throughout the process.
Established in 2002 by ELON MUSK, the founder of Tesla Motors, PayPal and the
Zip2 Corporation, SpaceX has developed and flown the Falcon 1 light-lift launch vehicle,
the Falcon 9 medium-lift launch vehicle, and Dragon, which is the first commercially
produced spacecraft to visit the International Space Station. SpaceX is also developing
the Falcon Heavy, a heavy-lift vehicle capable of delivering over 53 metric tons to orbit.
Falcon Heavy’s first flight is planned for 2016; it will be the most powerful operational
rocket in the world by a factor of two.
SpaceX has built a launch manifest that includes a broad array of commercial,
government and international customers. In 2008, NASA selected the SpaceX Falcon 9
launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft for the International Space Station Cargo Resupply
Services contract. NASA has also awarded SpaceX multiple contracts to develop the
capability to transport astronauts to space.
SpaceX has state-of-the-art production, testing, launch and operations facilities.
SpaceX design and manufacturing facilities are conveniently located near the Los Angeles
International Airport. This location allows the company to leverage Southern California’s
rich aerospace talent pool. The company also operates cutting-edge propulsion and
structural test facilities in Central Texas, along with launch sites in Florida and California,
and the world’s first commercial orbital launch site in development in South Texas.

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 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION

1.2 Space flight

There are two types of spaceflights or space travel that is

1. Commercial travel

2. Spaceflights

Spaceflight (also written space flight) is ballistic flight into or through outer space.
Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft with or without humans on board. Examples of
human spaceflight include the U.S. Apollo Moon landing and Space Shuttle programs and
the Russian Soyuz program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station. Examples
of unmanned spaceflight include space probes that leave Earth orbit, as well as satellites in
orbit around Earth, such as communications satellites. These operate either bytelerobotic
control or are fully autonomous. A spaceflight typically begins with a rocket launch, which
provides the initial thrust to overcome the force of gravity and propels the spacecraft from
the surface of the Earth. Once in space, the motion of a spacecraft-both when unpropelled
and when under propulsion-is covered by the area of study called astrodynamics. Some
spacecraft remain in space indefinitely, some disintegrate during atmospheric reentry, and
others reach a planetary or lunar surface for landing or impact.

1.3 Launch vehicle

In spaceflight, a launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket used to carry a payload from
Earth’s surface into outer space. A launch system includes the launch vehicle, the launch
pad, and other infrastructure. Although a carrier rocket’s payload is often an artificial
satellite placed into orbit, some spaceflights, such as sounding rockets, are sub-orbital,
while others enable spacecraft to escape Earth orbit entirely. Earth launch vehicles typically
have at least two stages, and sometimes as many as four or more.

1.3.1 Types of Launch vehicle

Expendable are designed for one-time use. They usually separate from their payload and
disintegrate during atmospheric reentry. In contrast, reusable launch vehicles are designed
to be recovered intact and launched again. The Space Shuttle was the only launch vehicle
with components used for multiple orbital spaceflights. SpaceX is developing a reusable
rocket launching system for their Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles.

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 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION

1.4 Facts about Launch Vehicle

About 1,100 active satellites, both government and private. Plus there are about 2,600 ones
that no longer work. launched the first satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957. The oldest one still in
orbit, which is no longer functioning, was launched in 1958.

1.4.1 ISRO
ISRO is the Indian Space Agency run by the Indian government. Launch vehicles of India
are SLV , PSLV ,GSLV . Total of 81 satellites launched till date form ISRO made , were 46
satellite are launched form the ISRO made Launch Vehicle as above mentioned. After the
launch of Falcon 9R a special team is being made to built our own reusable launch vehicle
by 2020.

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 Chapter 2

FALCON FAMILY

2.1 Falcon Program Overview

Drawing on a history of prior launch vehicle and engine programs, SpaceX privately
developed the Falcon family of launch vehicles. Component developments include first-
and second-stage engines, cryogenic tank structures, avionics, guidance and control
software, and ground support equipment.
With the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles, SpaceX is able to offer a full
spectrum of medium- and heavy-lift launch capabilities to its customers (Figure 2.1).
SpaceX operates Falcon launch facilities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Kennedy
Space Center, and Vandenberg Air Force Base and can deliver payloads to a wide range
of inclinations and altitudes, from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous transfer orbit to
escape trajectories for interplanetary missions. Future missions will also be flown from
the commercial orbital launch site under development in South Texas. Falcon 9 has
conducted successful flights to the International Space Station (ISS), low Earth orbit (LEO),
geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), and Earth-escape trajectories.

Figure 2.1: SpaceX vehicles are designed for high cross-platform commonality

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 Chapter 2. FALCON FAMILY

Figure 2.2: Falcon Launch vehicle Family

2.2 Falcon 9 Family

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 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 three 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 to low Earth orbit, and at least 5,300 kilograms 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.

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 Chapter 3

FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

3.1 Falcon 9R Vehicle Overview

Falcon 9 full thrust-also known as Falcon 9 v1.1 Full Thrust, and earlier as Falcon 9 v1.2,
Enhanced Falcon 9, Full-Performance Falcon 9, Upgraded Falcon 9, and Falcon 9 Upgrade
is the third major version of the SpaceX Falcon 9 orbital launch. Designed in 2014-2015,
it began launch operations in December 2015, and has a large manifest of over 40 launches
contracted over the next five years. In 21 December 2015, the full thrust version of the
Falcon 9 was the first launch vehicle on an orbital trajectory to successfully vertically a
first stage and recover the rocket, following an extensive technology development
program in 2011-2015 that had developed some of the technology on Falcon 9 v1.0 and
Falcon 9 v1.1 launch vehicle first stages. Falcon 9 full thrust is a substantial upgrade over
the older Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket, which flew its last mission in January 2016. With uprated
first- and second-stage engines, larger second-stage propellant tankage, and propellant
densification, the vehicle can carry substantial payload to geostationary orbit and
perform a propulsive landing for recovery.

3.2 Falcon 9 Reusable Launch vehicle Specifications

Falcon 9 (Figure 3.1) is a two-stage launch vehicle powered by liquid oxygen (LOX) and
rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1). The vehicle is designed, built and operated by SpaceX.
Falcon 9 can be flown with a fairing or with a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. All first-stage
and second-stage vehicle systems are the same in the two configurations; only the payload
interface to the second stage changes between the fairing and Dragon configurations.
Falcon 9 v1.1 is a two-stage launch vehicle that stands 68.4 meters tall, is 3.66 meters
in diameter with a liftoff mass of 505,846 Kilograms when flying in its F9R version with
re-usable first stage. The launcher can deliver payloads of up to 13,150 Kilograms to Low
Earth Orbit and 4,850kg to Geostationary Transfer Orbit. Aiming to become a re-usable
launcher, Falcon 9’s first stage is modified with a reaction control system, four grid fins

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 Chapter 3. FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Figure 3.1: Falcon 9R Technical Details

for steering and four deployable landing legs. Dropping the second stage off on its way to
orbit, the first stage goes through a series of complex propulsive maneuvers before guiding
itself through the atmosphere towards a target landing site for a soft touchdown under the
power of one of its Merlin engines to be reused on a future flight.

3.3 Falcon 9R First stage

The first stage of the Falcon 9 v1.1 is largely based on the first stage used on the v1.0
version featuring stretched propellant tanks and a modified engine compartment. The v1.1
first stage stands about 41.2 meters tall and is 3.66 meters in diameter featuring the standard
design with the oxidizer tank located above the fuel tank. Monocoque structure is utilized
on the oxidizer tank while the fuel tank features a stringer and ring-frame design that adds
strength to the vehicle. The first stage tank walls and domes are made from aluminum
lithium alloy and utilize reliable welding techniques to provide maximum strength. The
first stage uses Liquid Oxygen oxidizer and Rocket Propellant-1 as fuel which is highly
refined Kerosene. The LOX feedline is routed through the center of the fuel tank to supply
oxidizer to the engines. According to official FAA documentation, the first stage of Falcon
9 v1.1 is capable of holding 119,100 Kilograms of Rocket Propellant 1 and 276,600kg
of Liquid Oxygen. The empty mass of the first stage is not known, but can be estimated
at around 23 to 26 metric tons, depending on the version used (earlier estimates ranged
from 18 to 25 metric tons). Like the v1.0, the v1.1 version of Falcon 9 features nine
Merlin engines on its first stage, but v1.1 no longer uses the Merlin 1C used on the v1.0.
Falcon 9 v1.1 sports nine Merlin 1D engines which are more powerful than the 1C version.
Merlin 1D uses improved manufacturing and quality control techniques to enable SpaceX
to produce a greater number of engines per year while reducing overall risk. The M1D
design is simplified over the M1C by removing no-longer-needed subassemblies. Electro-
plating of a nickel-cobalt alloy on the chamber to create the jacket that endures the primary

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 Chapter 3. FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Figure 3.2: Falcon 9R Interior Design

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 Chapter 3. FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

stress of the pressure vessel was replaced by using an explosively formed metal jacket.
These changes provide the Merlin 1D with an increased fatigue life and greater thermal
margins for the chamber and nozzle. The first stage tank walls and domes are made
from aluminum lithium alloy and utilize reliable welding techniques to provide maximum
strength. The first stage uses Liquid Oxygen oxidizer and Rocket Propellant-1 as fuel
which is highly refined Kerosene. The LOX feedline is routed through the center of the
fuel tank to supply oxidizer to the engines. According to official FAA documentation, the
first stage of Falcon 9 v1.1 is capable of holding 119,100 Kilograms of Rocket Propellant
1 and 276,600kg of Liquid Oxygen. The empty mass of the first stage is not known, but
can be estimated at around 23 to 26 metric tons, depending on the version used (earlier
estimates ranged from 18 to 25 metric tons). Like the v1.0, the v1.1 version of Falcon 9
features nine Merlin engines on its first stage, but v1.1 no longer uses the Merlin 1C used
on the v1.0. Falcon 9 v1.1 sports nine Merlin 1D engines which are more powerful than
the 1C version. Merlin 1D uses improved manufacturing and quality control techniques to
enable SpaceX to produce a greater number of engines per year while reducing overall risk.
The M1D design is simplified over the M1C by removing no-longer-needed subassemblies.
Electro-plating of a nickel-cobalt alloy on the chamber to create the jacket that endures the
primary stress of the pressure vessel was replaced by using an explosively formed metal
jacket. These changes provide the Merlin 1D with an increased fatigue life and greater
thermal margins for the chamber and nozzle.

3.3.1 First stage Re-Use

The overall goal of SpaceX is to make the first stage of Falcon 9 (and the three cores
of Falcon Heavy) fully re-usable by returning them to a landing site through a series of
complex maneuvers performed after separation from the launcher using a small portion of
leftover propellant. To rapidly re-use the first stage of the vehicle, Falcon 9 is ultimately
planned to fly the stage back to the launch site after separation and land it vertically on
deployable landing legs. Initial attempts of demonstrating the return flight were made by
soft-landing stages in the ocean before upgrading to landing the first stage boosters on a
floating platform. The re-usable version of Falcon 9 is known as F9R which itself does
not represent a fully different launcher and is more of an add-on to the v1.1 version in
the form of the Nitrogen Cold Gas Attitude Control System, the four deployable landing
legs and four grid fins used for three-axis control during atmospheric flight, especially
during non-propulsive flight phases. The overall design driver for the landing legs was
mass since adding significant weight to the first stage would have resulted in a significant
payload penalty. Safety was also a major concern - the leg design had to be such that
no premature deployment during powered ascent was possible which would result in a

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 Chapter 3. FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Figure 3.3: Falcon 9 landing legs and grid fins

certain loss of the entire vehicle and payload. Made of aluminum honeycomb and carbon-
composite materials, the four legs have a total mass of around 2,100 Kilograms consisting
of a single-load bearing strut and aerodynamic fairing assembly. The central struts of the
legs interface with the load-carrying structure of the first stage while the fairings have two
structural interfaces at the base of the engine compartment heat shield and one interface
on the lower portion of the leg. During flight, the legs are stowed against the rocket body,
covered by the fairings that ensure no additional aerodynamic disturbance is introduced
by the legs. Deployment is accomplished by a pneumatic system using high-pressure
helium. When deployed, the legs have a span of about 18 meters, capable of supporting
the forces of landing and the mass of the nearly empty first stage. Grid-fins perform well
in all velocity ranges including supersonic and subsonic speeds with the exception of the
trans-sonic regime due to the shock wave enveloping the grid. These properties make them
ideally suitable for the Falcon 9 first stage that starts out at supersonic speeds and returns to
subsonic velocity as it travels through the atmosphere, en-route to the landing site. Before
attempting to land first stages on land, SpaceX commissioned a floating platform that can
be deployed in the ocean, downrange from the launch site to provide a landing pad for the
first stage boosters. Known as the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship, the floating landing
platform was built at a Louisiana shipyard and measures 91 meters by 52 meters with a
prominent Space”X marks the Spot” logo in the center The return flight of the first stage
booster starts at the moment of separation from the Falcon 9 second stage that is delivered
to a trajectory from where it can boost the payload into its desired orbit. First stage burn
duration in missions that include a propulsive return is on the order of 160 seconds. Initially,
the first stage uses its cold gas thrusters for attitude control - starting with a maneuver to

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 Chapter 3. FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Figure 3.4: Drone landing pad in pacific ocean

depart the engine plume of the second stage before re-orienting to an engines-first position
that is maintained past the point of apogee. Around T+4.5 minutes into the mission, the first
stage re-lights a subset of its engines for a boost-back maneuver that slows the vehicle down
and controls the downrange travel distance of the stage, beginning to target the planned
landing site - either on land or in the ocean. The duration of the boost-back burn depends
on the target landing site and is also driven by propellant availability for the return which
varies depending on payload mass and insertion orbit. Heading back into the dense layers
of the atmosphere, the first stage completes its supersonic retro propulsion burn using three
engines that are fired for about 20 seconds starting at an altitude of 70 Kilometers.

3.4 Falcon 9R Second stage

The second stage of the Falcon 9R is based on the design of the v1.0 second stage which
is essentially a smaller version of the first stage. SpaceX has always followed a policy of
choosing simple solutions to reduce cost and risk in order to manufacture a robust launch
system. Using the same materials, tools and manufacturing techniques for the two stages
is a perfect example of that policy. As with the first stage, the exact dimensions of the
second stage have not yet been disclosed by SpaceX. The second stage matches the first
stage’s diameter of 3.66 meters. Documentation shows the stage to be 13.8 meters in length
without payload adapter and 1st Stage Interstage with an intert mass just under four metric
tons. The second stage can hold 64,820kg of LOX and 27,850kg of RP-1 giving it a launch
mass of 96,600kg. The second stage also uses Rocket Propellant 1 as fuel and Liquid
Oxygen as oxidizer. One Merlin 1D engine is powering the second stage. This engine

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 Chapter 3. FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Figure 3.5: Stage 2 separating from stage 1

differs from the first stage engines as it is optimized for operation in vacuum featuring an
extended nozzle with a high expansion ratio. M1D is also a turbo pump-fed gas generator
engine, it also operates at a chamber pressure of 97 bar. The system is fully redundant,
constantly checking itself to verify that all GNC components are functioning properly.
SpaceX uses commercial off-the-shelf parts that are radiation tolerant instead of radiation
hardened (cost reduction). The flight computers run on Linux with software written in C++.

3.5 Payload Fairing and Dragon V2 Spacecraft

The Payload Fairing is positioned on top of the stacked vehicle and its integrated spacecraft.
It protects the vehicle against aerodynamic, thermal and acoustic environments that the
launcher experiences during atmospheric flight. When the launcher has left the atmosphere,
the fairing is jettisoned. Separating the fairing as early as possible increases ascent
performance. Falcon 9’s standard Fairing is 13.1 meters in length and 5.2 meters in
diameter. The fairing consists of an aluminum honeycomb core with carbon-fiber face
sheets fabricated in two half-shells.

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 Chapter 3. FALCON 9 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Figure 3.6: Payload fairing and Dragon spacecraft

Figure 3.7: Launching and Vertical Landing of F9R

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 Chapter 4

FALCON 9 RE-USABLE LAUNCH

VERTICAL LANDING IMAGES

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 Chapter 4. FALCON 9 RE-USABLE LAUNCH VERTICAL LANDING IMAGES

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 Chapter 5

FALCON 9 OVERVIER

5.1 Falcon launch vehicle safety

We continue to push the limits of rocket technology as we design the safest crew
transportation system ever flown while simultaneously advancing toward fully reusable
launch vehicles. Our emphasis on safety has led to advancements such as increased
structural factors of safety , greater redundancy and rigorous fault mitigation

5.2 Retention, Release and Separation Systems

The first and second stages are mated by mechanical latches at three points between the top
of the interstage and the base of the second-stage fuel tank. After the first-stage engine shut
down, a high- pressure helium circuit is used to release the latches via redundant actuators.
For added reliability, a redundant center pusher attached to the first stage is designed to
dramatically decrease the probability of re-contact between the stages following separation.

5.3 Programming in F9R

The Flight Software team is about 35 people. We write all the code for Falcon 9,
Grasshopper, and Dragon applications; and do the core platform work, also on those
vehicles; we also write simulation software; test the flight code; write the communications
and analysis software, deployed in our ground stations. We also work in Mission Control to
support active missions. The Ground Software team is about 9 people. We primarily code
in LabVIEW. We develop the GUIs used in Mission and Launch control, for engineers
and operators to monitor vehicle telemetry and command the rocket, spacecraft, and pad
support equipment. We are pushing high bandwidth data around a highly distributed system
and implementing complex user interfaces with strict requirements to ensure operators can
control and evaluate spacecraft in a timely manner. SpaceX uses an Actor-Judge system
to provide triple redundancy to its rockets and spacecraft. The Falcon 9 has 3 dual core

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 Chapter 5. FALCON 9 OVERVIER

Figure 5.1: Vehicle safety

Figure 5.2: Stages parameters

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 Chapter 5. FALCON 9 OVERVIER

x86 processors running an instance of linux on each core. The flight software is written in
C/C++ and runs in the x86 environment. For each calculation/decision, the ”flight string”
compares the results from both cores. If there is a inconsistency, the string is bad and
doesn’t send any commands. If both cores return the same response, the string sends
the command to the various microcontrollers on the rocket that control things like the
engines and grid fins. The microcontrollers, running on PowerPC processors, received
three commands from the three flight strings. They act as a judge to choose the correct
course of actions. If all three strings are in agreement the microcontroller executes the
command, but if 1 of the 3 is bad, it will go with the strings that have previously been
correct. The Falcon 9 can successfully complete its mission with a single flight string.

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 Chapter 6

APPLICATIONS AND ADVANTAGES

6.1 Applications
1. It’s a type of launch vehicle which can lift up satellite to the orbits , can take payload
to the International Space Station and can also take humans using dragon vehicle.

2. As this is the 1st reusable launch vehicle ever used is the pivotal breakthrough
needed to substantially reduce the cost of space access.

3. The reusable launch vehicle can reused with in 24 hours after the Stage-1 F9R lands
vertically.

4. Falcon 9R is being said to be used in human MARS mission in 2020.

5. In a single launch F9R can put 15 satellite of orbit of each of 200kg.

6. As being said the in future when a colony will be formed in MARS the transportation
for human beings are being carried out of next versions of FALCON launch vehicle
as said by the SPACEX CEO.

7. Can be used in Military applications.

6.2 Advantages
1. Compared to other launch vehicles the F9R is a reusable launch vehicle.

2. By using F9R the cost is being reduced by 40 percent.

3. Total liftoff mass1400 metric tons(14 Lakh Kilo) by using in a single launch
have been planned this year.

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 Chapter 6. APPLICATIONS AND ADVANTAGES

4. The stage-1 can be landed any were means in a ship or sea drone which is very
efficient.

5. Falcon 9R is a highly reliable launch vehicle.

6.3 Disadvantages
1. The Falcon 9 experiences major temperature changes during its flights, as well as
intense pressures and vibrations from the winds in the atmosphere.

2. Refurbishing a rocket engine is often expensive. And if those repairs take too long,
company can’t launch its vehicles as frequently. Refurbishment costs are to expensive.

3. To launch F9R the climate condition should be absolute normal, if anything goes
wrong the return stage-1 of falcon 9 will get damaged.

4. The vertical landing of F9R is very complicated .

Dept of E&C, BIET, Davanagere Mar-2016 20

 Chapter 7

CONCLUSION
If one can figure out how to effectively reuse rockets just like airplanes, the cost of
access to space will be reduced by as much as a factor of a hundred. A fully reusable
vehicle has never been done before. That really is the fundamental breakthrough needed to
revolutionize access to space. FALCON 9 believes a fully and rapidly reusable rocket is the
pivotal breakthrough needed to substantially reduce the cost of space access. The majority
of the launch cost comes from building the rocket, which flies only once. Compare that to a
commercial airliner - each new plane costs about the same as Falcon 9, but can fly multiple
times per day, and conduct tens of thousands of flights over its lifetime. The main idea
was trying to understand why rockets were so expensive. Obviously the lowest cost you
can make anything for is the spot value of the material constituents. To make spaceflight
routine and affordable, and to make humans a multi-planet species.

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 Chapter 8

REFERENCE
• www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX

• www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon9fullthrust

• www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/falcon9/usersguiderev2.0

• www.spacex.com/falcon9

• www.theverge.com/2015/12/24/10661544/spacex-reusable-rocket-refurbishment-repair-
design-cost-falcon-9

• www.defenseone.com/politics/2015/03/spacexs-biggest-military-advantage-isnt-just-
cheap-rockets/107877/

• www.gizmodo.in/wtf/This-is-the-secret-of-SpaceXs-Falcon-9-reusable-rocket-return-
magic/articleshow/36853993.cms

• www.theverge.com/2015/12/21/10640306/spacex-elon-musk-rocket-landing-success

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