Falcon VThe Falcon V is a Falcon family two stage to orbit RP-1 kerosene/liquid oxygen mostly reusable launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX. The lower stage includes five Merlin enginess and the upper stage includes two Kestrel enginess. The Falcon V is designed for maximum reliability and safety, being the first American rocket since the Saturn V to have "engine out" capability on both stages, with failure of up to three Merlin engines resulting in a successful flight, depending on when during flight the engine failure takes place, and failure of one Kestrel engine resulting in a successful flight, depending on sufficient payload mass margin. The Falcon V is also the first American orbital launch vehicle designed to be man-rated (i.e., certified for human transportation) since the Space Shuttle. The Falcon V is launched from Pad 3W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Marshall Islands, Kodiak Island, and Wallops Island. The maiden flight of the Falcon V is planned for November, 2005, from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying a Bigelow Aerospace Genesis Pathfinder expandable space station module prototype. Pricing starts at US$12 million plus range fees per launch.
|
||||
"I am not young enough to know everything." - Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) |
