Falcon 9 Block 5

Falcon 9 Block 5

Bangabandhu-1 was the first payload launched by Falcon 9 Block 5
Function	Medium-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer	SpaceX
Country of origin	United States
Size
Height	69.8 m (229 ft) with payload fairing 65.7 m (216 ft) with Crew Dragon 63.7 m (209 ft) with Dragon[1]
Diameter	3.7 m (12 ft)[2]
Mass	549,000 kg (1,210,000 lb)[2]
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Orbital inclination	28.5°
Mass	Expended: 22,800 kg (50,300 lb)[3] Reusable: 18,500 kg (40,800 lb)[4]
Payload to GTO
Orbital inclination	27°
Mass	Expended: 8,300 kg (18,300 lb)[3] Reusable: 5,500 kg (12,100 lb)[3]
Payload to TMI
Mass	4,000 kg (8,800 lb)[3]
Associated rockets
Family	Falcon 9
Based on	Falcon 9 Full Thrust
Comparable	Ariane 5 Atlas V Long March 3B/E Proton-M
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Cape Canaveral, SLC-40 Kennedy, LC-39A Vandenberg, SLC-4 Vandenberg, SLC-6 (planned)
Total launches	358
Success(es)	357
Failure(s)	1 (Starlink Group 9–3[a])
Landings	361 / 366 attempts[b]
First flight	11 May 2018 (11 May 2018) (Bangabandhu-1)
Type of passengers/cargo	SpaceX Dragon Starlink DART Euclid Galileo GPS Block IIIA IXPE KPLO Nova-C PACE Hera
First stage
Height	41.2 m (135 ft)
Diameter	3.7 m (12 ft)
Powered by	9 × Merlin 1D+
Maximum thrust	7.6 MN (1,700,000 lbf)[5][6]
Propellant	LOX / RP-1[7]
Second stage (standard)
Height	13.8 m (45 ft)
Diameter	3.7 m (12 ft)
Powered by	1 × Merlin 1D Vacuum
Maximum thrust	934 kN (210,000 lbf)[2]
Propellant	LOX / RP-1
Second stage (short nozzle)
Height	13.6 m (45 ft)
Diameter	3.7 m (12 ft)
Powered by	1 × Merlin 1D Vacuum
Maximum thrust	840 kN (190,000 lbf)[2]
Propellant	LOX / RP-1

Falcon 9 Block 5 is a partially reusable, human-rated, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle^[c] designed and manufactured in the United States by SpaceX. It is the fifth major version of the Falcon 9 family and the third version of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust.^[8][9] It is powered by Merlin 1D engines burning rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX).

The main changes from Block 3 (the original Falcon 9 Full Thrust) to Block 5 are higher-thrust engines and improvements to the landing legs along with numerous other small changes to streamline recovery and re-use of first-stage boosters and increase the production rate. Each Block 5 booster is designed to fly ten times with only minor maintenance between launches and potentially up to 100 times with periodic refurbishment.

In 2018, Block 5 succeeded the transitional Block 4 version. The maiden flight of the Block 5 launched the satellite Bangabandhu-1 on May 11, 2018. The CRS-15 mission on June 29, 2018, was the last to be launched on a Block 4 rocket, completing the transition to an all-Block 5 fleet.^[10][11]

Overview

The Block 5 design changes are principally driven by upgrades needed for NASA's Commercial Crew program and National Security Space Launch requirements.^[12] They include performance upgrades, manufacturing improvements, and increase the margin for demanding customers.^[13]

In April 2017, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that Block 5 will feature 7–8% more thrust by uprating the engines (from 176,000 pounds-force (780,000 N) to 190,000 pounds-force (850,000 N) per engine).^[14] Block 5 includes an improved flight control system for an optimized angle of attack on the descent, lowering landing fuel requirements.

For reusability endurance:

• expected to be able to fly ten times with only minor maintenance between launches^[15][16] achieved in 2021^[17]
• potentially fly up to 100 times with periodic refurbishment^[16][15][18]
• a reusable heat shield protecting the engines and plumbing at the base of the rocket;
• more temperature-resistant cast and machined titanium grid fins;^[19]
• a thermal-protection coating on the first stage to limit reentry heating damage, including a black thermal protection layer on the landing legs, raceway, and interstage;
• redesigned and requalified more robust and longer life valves;
• redesigned composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV 2.0) for helium, to avoid oxygen freezing inside the structure of the tanks that lead to rupture.

For rapid reusability:

• reduced refurbishment between flights;^[16]
• a set of retractable landing legs for rapid recovery and shipping.^[20]
• the Octaweb^[21] structure is bolted together instead of welded, reducing manufacturing time.^[22]

Improvements

Since the debut of Block 5, SpaceX has continued to iterate on its design, manufacturing processes, and operational procedures.^[23] Among other changes, the initial Block 5 boosters did not have the redesigned composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV2) tanks.^[24] The first booster with COPV2 tanks was booster B1047 on the Es'hail 2 mission on November 15, 2018, and the second booster using the COPV2 tanks was CRS-16/B1050, which had its first launch on December 5, 2018.^[25] Later Block 5 boosters are also easier to prepare for flight, so SpaceX "prefer to retire" older cores by assigning them to expendable missions when possible.^[26]

A pressure relief valve was added to the grid fins’ hydraulic system following a stall that resulted in a landing failure in 2018.^[27][28] Similarly, after a booster was damaged at sea in 2022, much of the fleet was upgraded with "self-leveling" landing legs. These legs help ensure the booster can be properly secured to the Octograbber, even in suboptimal sea states.^[29]

To improve the rocket's performance, SpaceX has tweaked throttle settings and separation timings.^[23][30]

Mission extension kits

SpaceX CRS-18 featured a Falcon mission-extension kit to the standard second stage, which equipped the second stage with a dark-painted band (for thermal control), extra COPVs for pressurization control, and additional TEA-TEB ignition fluid. The upgrades afforded the second stage with the endurance needed to inject the payloads directly into geosynchronous or high energy orbit where the second stage needs hours after launch.^[31] Based on mission requirements, they are Medium Coast & Long Coast kits, i.e., the number of helium bottles for pressurization and added batteries for power and other hardware to make sure that the fuel and stages systems operate as long as needed.^[32][33]

Short nozzle second stage

The Transporter-7 mission marked the debut of a second stage with a Merlin 1D Vacuum engine with a shorter nozzle extension designed to accelerate production and reduce costs. Unlike the first stage, the second stage on the Falcon 9 is not reused. This variant sacrifices 10% thrust in exchange for a 75% reduction in material usage, primarily the rare metal niobium. As a result, SpaceX can triple its launch frequency using the same amount of this critical resource. Due to its reduced performance, this nozzle is exclusively used on missions with lower performance requirements.^[32][34][35]

Human rating

The NASA certification processes of the 2010s specified seven flights of any launch vehicle without major design changes before the vehicle would be NASA-certified for human spaceflight, and allowed to fly NASA astronauts.^[24][25]

The Block 5 design launched astronauts for the first time on May 30, 2020, on a NASA-contracted flight, Crew Dragon Demo-2.^[36] This was the first crewed orbital spaceflight launched from the United States since the final Space Shuttle mission in 2011, and the first ever operated by a commercial provider.^[37]

Specifications

Specifications and characteristics are as follows:^[38][39][40]

Characteristic	First stage	Second stage
Height[40]	42.6 m (140 ft)	12.6 m (41 ft)
Diameter[40]	3.7 m (12 ft)	3.7 m (12 ft)
Empty mass[d][40]	22,200 kg (48,900 lb)	4,000 kg (8,800 lb)
Gross mass[e]	433,100 kg (954,800 lb)	111,500 kg (245,800 lb)
Structure type	LOX tank: monocoque Fuel tank: skin and stringer	LOX tank: monocoque Fuel tank: skin and stringer
Structure material	Aluminum lithium skin; aluminum domes
Engines	9 × Merlin 1D	1 × Merlin 1D Vacuum
Engine type	Liquid, gas-generator
Fuel	Kerosene (RP-1)
Oxidizer	Subcooled liquid oxygen (LOX)	Liquid oxygen (LOX)
LOX tank capacity[40]	287,400 kg (633,600 lb)	75,200 kg (165,800 lb)
RP-1 tank capacity[40]	123,500 kg (272,300 lb)	32,300 kg (71,200 lb)
Engine nozzle	Gimbaled, 16:1 expansion	Gimbaled, 165:1 expansion
Total thrust[2]	7,607 kN (1,710,000 lbf)	934 kN (210,000 lbf)
Propellant feed system	Turbopump
Throttle capability[38]	845–482 kN (190,000–108,300 lbf)[41]	930–360 kN (210,000–81,000 lbf)
Restart capability	Yes (only 3 engines for boostback/reentry/landing burns)	Yes, dual redundant TEA-TEB pyrophoric igniters
Tank pressurization	Heated helium
Ascent attitude control (pitch, yaw)	Gimbaled engines	Gimbaled engine and nitrogen gas thrusters
Ascent attitude control (roll)	Gimbaled engines	Nitrogen gas thrusters
Coast/descent attitude control	Nitrogen gas thrusters and grid fins	Nitrogen gas thrusters
Shutdown process	Commanded

See also

• List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches
• List of Falcon 9 Block 5 first-stage boosters

Notes

1. Second stage engine disintegration
2. including use as side booster
3. If launched in expendable configuration, Falcon 9 has a theoretical payload capability of a heavy-lift launch vehicle
4. without propellant
5. with propellant

References

1. "Falcon User's Guide" (PDF). January 14, 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
2. "Falcon 9". SpaceX. November 16, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
3. "Capabilities & Services (2016)". SpaceX. November 28, 2012. Archived from the original on August 2, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
4. Sesnic, Trevor (February 25, 2024). "Starlink Group 6-39 – Falcon 9 Block 5". Everyday Astronaut. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
5. SpaceX (May 11, 2018). "Bangabandhu Satellite-1 Mission". Retrieved February 25, 2019 – via YouTube.
6. SpaceX. "FALCON 9". SpaceX. Archived from the original on July 15, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
7. @elonmusk (December 17, 2015). "-340 F in this case. Deep cryo increases density and amplifies rocket performance. First time anyone has gone this low for O2. [RP-1 chilled] from 70F to 20 F" (Tweet). Retrieved December 19, 2015 – via Twitter.
8. "Falcon 9 & Falcon Heavy". Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2021. The v1.2 design was constantly improved upon over time, leading to different sub-versions or "Blocks". The initial design, flying on the maiden flight, was thus referred to as Block 1. The final design which has largely stayed static since 2018 is the Block 5 variant.
9. "Acme Engineering". Retrieved February 3, 2021.
10. Ralph, Eric (June 5, 2018). "SpaceX will transition all launches to Falcon 9 Block 5 rockets after next mission". TESLARATI.com. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
11. Shanklin, Emily (June 29, 2018). "Dragon Resupply Mission (CRS-15)". SpaceX. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
12. "Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) (Falcon-9FT (Block 5))". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
13. NASA (February 17, 2017). "NASA Holds Pre-launch Briefing at Historic Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center". Youtube. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
14. Clark, Stephen (April 4, 2017). "Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
15. SpaceX Test-Fires New Falcon 9 Block 5 Rocket Ahead of Maiden Flight (Updated). Robin Seemangal, Popular Mechanics. May 4, 2018.
16. SpaceX is about to land a whole lot more rockets. Loren Grush, The Verge. July 22, 2018.
17. "SpaceX flies historic 10th mission of a Falcon 9 as Starlink constellation expands". May 8, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
18. Elon Musk on Twitter: I don't want be cavalier, but there isn't an obvious limit. 100+ flights are possible. Some parts will need to be replaced or upgraded.
19. Musk, Elon (June 24, 2017). "Flying with larger & significantly upgraded hypersonic grid fins. Single piece cast & cut titanium. Can take reentry heat with no shielding". @elonmusk. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
20. "SpaceX Test-Fires New Falcon 9 Block 5 Rocket Ahead of Maiden Flight (Updated)". Popular Mechanics. May 4, 2018.
21. "Octaweb Structure". www.thespacetechie.com. July 10, 2021.
22. "I am Andy Lambert, SpaceX's VP of Production. Ask me anything about production & manufacturing, and what it's like to be a part of our team!". reddit.com. April 24, 2018.
23. "SpaceX Building Airline-Type Flight Ops For Launch | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
24. Clark, Stephen. "New helium tank for SpaceX crew launches still waiting to fly – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved December 6, 2018.
25. "SpaceX landing mishap won't affect upcoming launches". SpaceNews.com. December 5, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
26. Starbase Tour with Elon Musk [PART 2 // Summer 2021], August 7, 2021, retrieved January 15, 2023
27. Elon Musk & NASA/SpaceX DM1 – Post Launch Press Conference. Event occurs at 12:02. Retrieved April 13, 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
28. Graham, William (December 5, 2018). "Falcon 9 successfully lofts CRS-16 Dragon enroute to ISS – Booster spins out but soft lands in water". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
29. Dontchev, Kiko [@TurkeyBeaver] (December 26, 2023). "...Tippy boosters occur when you get a certain set of landing conditions that lead to the legs having uneven loading... In this state, securing with the OG is super challenging and often only partial successful. We came up with self leveling legs that immediately equalize leg loads on landing after experiencing a severe tippy booster two years ago on Christmas (first flight of 1069). The fleet is mostly outfitted, but 1058, given its age, was not..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
30. Clark, Stephen. "SpaceX launches heaviest payload on Falcon 9 rocket – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved January 27, 2023.
31. Ralph, Eric (October 11, 2022). "SpaceX's first Falcon Heavy launch in three years eyes late-October liftoff". TESLARATI. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
32. Sesnic, Trevor (July 22, 2023). "EchoStar 24 | Falcon Heavy". Everyday Astronaut. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
33. "Falcon rockets use three configurations of their upper stage. How are they different?". July 31, 2023.
34. Sesnic, Trevor (July 22, 2023). "EchoStar 24 | Falcon Heavy". Everyday Astronaut. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
35. "Transporter 7". Retrieved March 17, 2023.
36. "NASA, Partners Update Commercial Crew Launch Dates – Commercial Crew Program". blogs.nasa.gov. February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
37. "SpaceX Speeding Astronauts to Space Station in Landmark Trip". Bloomberg News. May 30, 2020.
38. "Falcon 9 Launch Vehicle Payload User's Guide, Rev 2" (PDF). SpaceX. October 21, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 14, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
39. "SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.2 Data Sheet". Space Launch Report. August 14, 2017. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
40. "Fiche Technique: Falcon-9" [Technical data sheet: Falcon 9]. Espace & Exploration (in French). No. 39. May 2017. pp. 36–37. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
41. "Falcon Users Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2019.

External links

• Link to Falcon User's Guide Archived December 2, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, by SpaceX. Updated in January 2019 specifically for Block 5 upgrades.