SpaceX
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Hawthorne, California |
| Key people | Elon Musk: CEO and CTO |
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Products | Orbital rocket launch Commercial Orbital Transportation Services |
| Employees | 525 |
| Website | spacex.com |
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is an American space-transportation startup company founded by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk. It is developing partially reusable launch vehicles - the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 - and the Dragon series of space capsules.
Originally based in El Segundo, SpaceX now operates out of Hawthorne, California.
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[edit] Background
SpaceX was founded in June 2002 by Musk who has invested $100 million of his own money as of March 2006. On August 4, 2008 SpaceX accepted a further $20 million investment from the Founders Fund.[1]
SpaceX had 160 employees in November 2005 and more than 500 by July 2008.[2] [3] The launch crew in the Marshall Islands has 25 people with 6 in mission control. This small number, compared to similar space launch companies is part of Musk's design to reduce costs. Musk believes the high prices of other space-launch services are driven in part by unnecessary bureaucracy. He's stated that one of his goals is to improve the cost and reliability of access to space, ultimately by a factor of ten.
In January 2005, SpaceX bought a 10% stake in Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
[edit] Space vehicles
SpaceX is manufacturing two main space launch vehicles; the Falcon 1 which made its first successful flight on 28 Sept 2008, and the large EELV class Falcon 9 which is scheduled to launch in 2009. A Falcon 5 launcher was planned, but development was stopped in favor of the Falcon 9. SpaceX is also designing the SpaceX Dragon, a man-rated orbital vehicle.
On May 2, 2005, SpaceX announced that it had been awarded an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for Responsive Small Spacelift (RSS) launch services by the United States Air Force, which could allow the Air Force to purchase up to $100,000,000 worth of launches from the company.[4] On April 22, 2008, NASA announced that it had awarded an IDIQ Launch Services contract to SpaceX for Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launches. The contract will be worth between $20,000 and $1 billion, depending on the number of missions awarded. The contract covers launch services ordered by June 30, 2010, for launches through December 2012.[5]
Elon Musk stated in the same April 22 announcement that SpaceX has sold 14 contracts for flights on the various Falcon vehicles.[6]
[edit] Falcon 1
- main articles: Falcon 1 and Falcon 1 Flight 4
The Falcon 1 is a small, partially reusable rocket capable of placing several hundred kilograms into low earth orbit. It also functions as a testbed for developing concepts and components for the larger Falcon 9. The Falcon 1 succeeded in reaching orbit at its fourth attempt on September 28th, 2008, becoming the first privately funded, liquid-fueled rocket to do so[7].
[edit] Falcon 9
On September 8, 2005, SpaceX announced the development of the Falcon 9 rocket, which will have nine Merlin engines in its first stage.[8][9] The design is an EELV-class vehicle, intended to compete with the Delta IV and the Atlas V rockets. Both stages will be designed to be reusable. A similarly designed Falcon 5 rocket was also envisioned to fit between the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9, but development was dropped to concentrate on the Falcon 9.
The company purchased the McGregor, Texas testing facilities of defunct Beal Aerospace, where it refit the largest test stand at the facilities for Falcon 9 testing. The stand tested the nine Merlin 1C engines of the Falcon 9, which deliver 350-metric-tons-force (3.4-meganewtons) of thrust, well under the stand's capacity of 1,500 metric-tons-force (15 meganewtons).
Musk said "Long-term plans call for development of a heavy lift product and even a super-heavy, if there is customer demand. We expect that each size increase would result in a meaningful decrease in cost per pound to orbit. For example, dollar cost per pound to orbit dropped from $4,000 to $1,300 ($8,800/kg to $2,900/kg) between Falcon 1 and Falcon 5. Ultimately, I believe $500 per pound ($1,100/kg) or less is very achievable." [10]
[edit] Manned orbital spaceflight: SpaceX Dragon
SpaceX announced plans to pursue a manned commercial space program through the end of the decade.[11]
On Friday 18 August 2006, NASA announced that the company was one of two selected to provide crew and cargo resupply demonstration contracts to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX will demonstrate crew and cargo resupply using the SpaceX Dragon, a conventional blunt-cone ballistic capsule, which is capable of carrying 7 persons or a mixture of personnel and cargo to and from low Earth orbit.[12] It will be launched atop a Falcon 9 vehicle. The nosecone of the vehicle has a hinged cap, which opens to reveal a standard ISS Common Berthing Mechanism, which allows the Dragon to dock to the U.S. segment of the ISS. NASA's plan calls for SpaceX demonstration flights between 2008 and 2010. SpaceX may receive up to $278 million if it meets all NASA milestones.[13][14][15]
[edit] Launcher versions
| Launcher Versions | Falcon 1 | Falcon 9 | Falcon 9 Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 0 | none | none | 2 boosters with 9 × Merlin 1C each |
| Stage 1 | 1 × Merlin (2006-2007);
1 x Merlin 1C (2008 ff) [16] |
9 × Merlin 1C | 9 × Merlin 1C |
| Stage 2 | 1 × Kestrel | 1 × Merlin 1C | 1 × Merlin 1C |
| Height (max; m) |
between 21.3 and 26.83 | 50 or 54 | 54 |
| Diameter (m) |
1.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Initial thrust (kN) |
between 318 and 454 | 3,400 | 12,258 |
| Takeoff weight (tonnes) |
between 27.2 and 38.56 | 325 | 885 |
| Fairing diameter (Inner; m) |
1.5 or 1.71 | 3.6 or 5.2 | 5.2 |
| Payload (LEO; kg) |
between 570 and 700 (or 430 to SSO) | 9,900 | 27,500 |
| Payload (GTO; kg) |
— | 4,900 | 12,000 |
| Price (Mil. USD) |
between 6.7 and 8.5 | 35 to LEO or GEO | 90 to LEO or between 55 and 90 (according to Satellite Mass) to GEO |
| minimal Price/kg (LEO; USD) |
between 11,754 and 15,556 (or 19,767 to SSO) | 3,365 | 3,273 |
| minimal Price/kg (GTO; USD) |
— | 10,000 | 7,826 |
| Success ratio (successful/total) |
1/4 | — | — |
[edit] Cancelled launcher designs
[edit] Launch sites
The first four launches were conducted at Kwajalein Atoll using the SpaceX launch facility on Omelek Island and range facilities of the Reagan Test Site. All upcoming Falcon 1 flights shown on the SpaceX manifest are also planned for Kwajalein. Other launch sites which have been discussed for Falcon 1 flights include:
- Vandenberg Air Force Base, Pad 3W. According to Elon Musk, SpaceX may be evicted from Vandenberg because of safety concerns expressed by United Launch Alliance, which launches the Atlas V rocket from neighboring site SLC-3W.[22]
[edit] References
- ^ "SpaceX receives $20 million investment from Founder's Fund" (2008-08-04). Retrieved on 2008-08-10.
- ^ Jeff Foust (14 November 2005). "Big plans for SpaceX", The Space Review.
- ^ "DIANE MURPHY JOINS SPACEX AS VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS". SpaceX.
- ^ "SpaceX Awarded $100 Million Contract From U.S. Air Force for Falcon I", SpaceRef.com (2 May 2005).
- ^ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract to SpaceX". NASA (2008-04-22). Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
- ^ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract to SpaceX". SpaceX (2008-04-22). Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
- ^ SpaceX press release, 2008-09-28
- ^ SpaceX press release on Falcon 9
- ^ Selenian Boondocks on Falcon IX
- ^ "Elon Musk - Senate Testimony, May 5, 2004" (2004-05-04). Retrieved on 2008-08-10.
- ^ Wired.com
- ^ Keith Cowing (6 March 2006). "The SpaceX Dragon: America's First Privately Financed Manned Orbital Spacecraft?", SpaceRef.com.
- ^ "NASA selects crew, cargo launch partners". Spaceflight Now (August 18, 2006).
- ^ "NASA Selects Crew and Cargo Transportation to Orbit Partners". SpaceRef (August 18, 2006).
- ^ Alan Boyle (August 18, 2006). "SpaceX, Rocketplane win spaceship contest", MSNBC.
- ^ "http://www.spacex.com/updates.php". SpaceX (2007-12-10). Retrieved on 2008-06-12.
- ^ "SpaceX Falcon Data Sheet", Space Launch Report (5 July 2007).
- ^ "Monster Progress Update (Mostly Falcon 9)", SpaceX (17 August 2007).
- ^ "Falcon 1 Overview", SpaceX (28 September 2007).
- ^ "Falcon 9 Overview", SpaceX (28 September 2007).
- ^ "Falcon 9 Heavy Overview", SpaceX (28 September 2007).
- ^ "SpaceX To Try Again Feb. 9". Space News.
- ^ Kelly, John (2007-04-25). "SpaceX cleared for Cape launches". Florida Today.
[edit] External links
- SpaceX official website
- Full Summons and Complaint by SpaceX against Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin Corporation (October 23, 2005)
- Notes from SpaceX pre-launch conference (Michael Belfiore, November 18, 2005)
- Kwajalein Atoll and Rockets (Candid and highly unofficial blog by Elon Musk's brother Kimbal, with on-site pictures and reporting.)
- Latest Space Fellowship SpaceX News (Space Fellowship)
[edit] Articles
- A tour/interview of SpaceX (The Space Review, February 27 - March 13): Parts 2, 3, 4
- The SpaceX Dragon: America's First Privately Financed Manned Orbital Spacecraft? (SpaceRef, March 6, 2006)
- A bold plan to go where men have gone before (New York Times, February 5, 2006)
- Interview with Elon Musk and VP of Development Operations (NasaSpaceFlight.com, January 20, 2006)
- Big plans for SpaceX (The Space Review, November 14, 2005)
- Shooting the Moon (Discover Magazine cover article, September 2005)
- Space X, with video interviews (ScienCentral News, August 12, 2005)
- SpaceX Private Rocket Shifts to Island Launch (Space.com, August 12, 2005)
- Privately-made Falcon 1 rocket roars on the pad (Spaceflight Now, May 27, 2005)
- Private rocketeer looks to August flight (Space.com, May 23, 2005)
- Small firm fired up to test new rocket (Santa Maria Times, April 27, 2005)
- Hondas in Space (Fast Company, February 2005)
- SpaceX starting small as it dreams of grand plans (Spaceflight Now, January 20, 2005)
- Broadcast interviews with Elon Musk about SpaceX (The Space Show)
