Photo: SpaceX
On Thursday, May 10, SpaceX will be launching the newest version of the Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, carrying the Bangabandhu, Bangladesh’s first communications satellite. The flight will be the first for the rocket known as Stage 5.
Stage 5 is part of the Full Thrust variant of the Falcon 9, a family of rockets which feature improved landing legs and grid fins, several structural improvements and weigh less than its predecessors. According to Elon Musk, the Block 5 is the final version of the Falcon 9.
“Targeting Falcon 9 Block 5 launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 on May 10 from Pad 39A in Florida,” tweeted Musk’s space company on Monday.
According to Spaceflight Now, the Block 5 features upgraded engines, improved landing legs that can be retracted – as opposed to completely removing them, as it was done until now in the current rockets– and a thermal protection coating to help it better survive re-entry.
The new rocket also has a redesigned helium pressurant tanks. Such a tank was the cause of a Falcon 9 rocket explosion at Cape Canaveral 2016.
An investigation into the incident showed that the super cold oxygen reacted with the carbon fiber composites within the fuel tank and exploded. SpaceX uses a propellant kept at super cold temperatures, -340 degrees Fahrenheit (-171 degrees Celsius) to power its rockets.
The redesigned tanks are meant to eliminate the risk of the rocket blowing up again.
The first Block 5 static fire tests took place this February. According to the specs, it should be able to be reused ten times without having to undergo serious repairs.
A successful launch of the Block 5 will mark the shift of attention from designing new rockets to improving turnaround times, that is making them fit to launch again.
As stated ever since last year, SpaceX plans to achieve a 24-hour turnaround window for used Falcon 9 rockets as soon as this year.
“Targeting Falcon 9 Block 5 launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 on May 10 from Pad 39A in Florida,” tweeted Musk’s space company on Monday.
According to Spaceflight Now, the Block 5 features upgraded engines, improved landing legs that can be retracted – as opposed to completely removing them, as it was done until now in the current rockets– and a thermal protection coating to help it better survive re-entry.
The new rocket also has a redesigned helium pressurant tanks. Such a tank was the cause of a Falcon 9 rocket explosion at Cape Canaveral 2016.
An investigation into the incident showed that the super cold oxygen reacted with the carbon fiber composites within the fuel tank and exploded. SpaceX uses a propellant kept at super cold temperatures, -340 degrees Fahrenheit (-171 degrees Celsius) to power its rockets.
The redesigned tanks are meant to eliminate the risk of the rocket blowing up again.
The first Block 5 static fire tests took place this February. According to the specs, it should be able to be reused ten times without having to undergo serious repairs.
A successful launch of the Block 5 will mark the shift of attention from designing new rockets to improving turnaround times, that is making them fit to launch again.
As stated ever since last year, SpaceX plans to achieve a 24-hour turnaround window for used Falcon 9 rockets as soon as this year.
Targeting Falcon 9 Block 5 launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 on May 10 from Pad 39A in Florida.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) 7 mai 2018
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