falcon launch vehicle status capabilities and manifest
TRANSCRIPT
SpaceX.com
Falcon Launch Vehicle StatusCapabilities and Manifest
Space Exploration Technologies1310 Grand Avenue
El Segundo, CA 90245Phone (310) 414-6555Fax (310) 414-6552
spacex.com
SpaceX.com
Falcon in Washington DC for its unveiling
SpaceX.com
Vehicle Summary
Payload capability: 1500 lbs to LEO (28.5 deg, 100 nm, circular)Launch from Vandenberg, Cape and KwajaleinMultiple manifest, multiple orbitBenign payload environment$5.9M per launch plus range costsVehicle flight ready by Fall 2004
Diameter 5.5’ tapering to 5’Length 68’1st Stage Parachute/Water Recovery1st Stage Lox/RP12nd Stage Lox/RP1
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Falcon First Stage
Re-usable 1st StageLox – RP1 PropellantAluminum 2219-T6 Tanks“Flight Pressure Stabilized” DesignCommon bulkhead94% Mass RatioParachute to Water Landing
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Falcon First Stage Engine
SpaceX Merlin EngineThrust: 72k SL, 85k VacuumIsp: 261 SL, 310 VacuumAblatively CooledPintle Injector GeometryPump-fed Gas Generator CycleTurbine Exhaust Roll Control Hydraulic TVC
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Falcon Second Stage
Expendable 2nd StageLox – RP1 PropellantAluminum Lithium TanksCommon Bulkhead91 % Mass RatioKestrel Engine:
7.5Klbf Vacuum ThrustPressure Fed with GHeIsp: 325 VacuumHot Helium Attitude ControlAblative/Radiative CoolingPintle Injector GeometryEMA for TVC
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Avionics
Flight-proven, redundant components
Dual Inertial Measurement UnitsDual Flight ComputersGPS 12 ChannelS-Band Telemetry and Video DownlinkC-Band Transponder for TrackingEthernet BusQNX Real-time OS
GPS
Switch
EngineComputer
Ethernet
Encoder Trans-mitter
Trans-ponder
FlightTerminat
ion
Analog Data ThrustVector
Launch PadComputer
PropellantLoading I/F
GroundControl
Computer
Hub
Testport
1-3 MilesTelemetryComputer
DisplayComputer
DisplayComputer
DisplayComputer
Hub
RedundantFlight
ComputerRed.IMU
(Gyro)
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Falcon Performance
200 300 400 500 600 700 800200
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700
Payload (kg)
200 300 400 500 600 700 800
500
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1400
1500
Launch from Cape Canaveral due Eas t
Circular Orbit Altitude (km)
Payload (lb)
Direct Ins ertionTwo Impuls e Ins ertion
Rev. K S B150 8/4/03
200 300 400 500 600 700 800100
200
300
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500
600
Payload (kg)
200 300 400 500 600 700 800
400
600
800
1000
1200
Launch from Vandenberg into S un-S ynchronous Orbit
Circular Orbit Altitude (km)
Payload (lb)
Direct Ins ertionTwo Impuls e Ins ertion
Rev. K S B150 8/5/03
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Falcon Launch Sites
SLC 3W at the Western range (VAFB) for high inclination launchesLC 46 at the Eastern Range (ER) for low inclination launchesReagan Test Site for very low inclination launches
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Falcon Flight Sequence
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Falcon Payload Volume
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Mechanical Interface / Separation
Separation System38” Lightband from Planetary Systems is the baselineSpace Flight proven Low shock
Non explosive initiation and low strain energy design
Low tipoff rates < 1.0 deg. per secondSeparation Orientation
Almost any attitude can be accommodated as long as time is not an issue~15 minutes to obtain any attitude
Second Stage Attitude and Rate Accuracies
Roll +/- 2 degreesPitch/Yaw +/- 0.5 degreesBody rates +/- 0.1 deg/sec/axis
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Environments Summary
Random Vibration: 5.3 grmsAcoustic: 131 OASPLShock: ~750 g’s Max Loads: 2 g’s lateral (ground ops) ; ~7 g’s axial (burn out)Visibly clean fairing, Class 100K processing30-60% humidity; 60-80 deg. F processing
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Predicted Injection Accuracies
Accuracies that we will sign up to:
perigee +/- 10 kmapogee +/- 20 km
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
Devia tion in pe rigee from nomina l (km)
Dev
iatio
n in
apo
gee
from
nom
inal
(km
)
Accuracies that we are predicting:
SpaceX.com
Standard Payload Services
Air conditioning in the shroudPayload environment is visibly clean with dry filtered air purgeProvide access door in the fairing (for contingency only after mating to the vehicle)SpaceX provides facility for limited checkout—S/C brings its own test equipment
Payload must find processing facility to load propellants and for long term processing
SpaceX will provide GSE to mate s/c to payload adapterS/C is un-powered during launch
Signal to turn on S/C provided by LV command or from separation signal
Modest S/C spinup 6 rpm
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Falcon Launch Operations
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Projected Manifest
2004Sept/Oct.: TacSat-1 VAFB; firm
2005April: DoD KwajJuly: DARPA FALCON TBDSept: Multiple Manifest CCAFSOctober: International Kwaj; firmDecember: Maiden Falcon V Comm./Bigelow; firm
2006May : Gov’t customer Kwaj or CCAFSJune: Gov’t customer Kwaj or CCAFSAugust: Gov’t customer Kwaj or CCAFS
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The TacSat-1 Program
The maiden Falcon I flight will carry TacSat-1 to an altitude of 510 km and an inclination of 64 degreesWill launch from VAFB SLC 3W—see trajectory at rightTacSat-1 is an experiment funded by OSD’s Office of Force TransformationWe are undergoing a missionassurance review
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Progress to Date
Vast majority of the launch system has been designed, analyzed, integrated and tested at SpaceX, including:
First and second stage structures
First and second stage engines
Fairing
Stage separation and fairing separation systems
Avionics system
Guidance and control algorithms
Mobile launcher/erector
Mobile launch command trailer
In addition, SpaceX has:
Built a world-class engine and structural test facility
Received environmental approval in one of the most difficult locations in the world (Vandenberg)
On track for range safety approval within 2 years of start
Built a proto-Falcon and transported it cross-country to DC for the centennial of flight
Established a customer payload integration process, which is underway with the DOD/NRL
First launch contracted with funding from the Secretary of Defense
Second launch contracted (incl. deposit) with a non-US space agency
First customer contracted (incl. deposit) for the Falcon V
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OK, so when are we going to launch?