How many times can SpaceX Falcon 9 be reused? | Space Exploration Documentary

26 Dimensions · January 23, 2021 · 5:27 · English · Documentary

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Video from the channel 26 Dimensions about Falcon 9, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 5:27. Language: English. Video type: Documentary.

What it's about

Explanatory video on the design of the Falcon 9 and the features that make it largely reusable: materials, stage separation, the ignition sequence on the pad, and development cost.

Historical context

According to the video, SpaceX took the Falcon 9 from blank sheet to first launch in a little over four years, between 2005 and 2010. The name comes from the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars. Elon Musk has stated that many parts could be reused up to a hundred times, while more delicate elements, such as heat shields, would last about ten flights.

Key facts

It is a two-stage rocket powered by Merlin engines, nine on the first stage and one on the second, burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene. It can complete the mission even if some engines fail. The tanks are made of aluminum-lithium alloy joined by friction-stir welding; the separation section combines an aluminum honeycomb core with carbon-fiber sheets, and the separation is pneumatic rather than pyrotechnic. On the pad, the rocket is released only once the engines are confirmed to be running normally; if an anomaly is detected, they are shut down and the propellant is unloaded. The second stage shares materials and manufacturing techniques with the first, which eases serial production.