R E L I A B I L I T Y

SpaceX is based on the philosophy that through simplicity, reliability and low-cost
can go hand-in-hand. By eliminating the traditional layers of management
internally, and sub-contractors externally, we reduce our costs while streamlining
decisions and delivery. Likewise, by keeping the vast majority of manufacturing
in-house we reduce our costs, keep tighter control of quality, and ensure a closed
feedback loop between the engineering and manufacturing teams.

The Falcon launch vehicles have been designed to eliminate the main causes of
launch vehicle failures – separation events and engines. Our vehicles have only
two stages for minimum staging events and make use of either one engine per
stage for simplicity or multiple engines for propulsion redundancy. To ensure
manufacturing reliability and system performance, we have a full quality assur-
ance program, an exhaustive acceptance test program, and a hold-before-launch
system to prevent a liftoff with an under performing first stage.

Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles are designed to serve a broad market that
includes NASA and US Air Force missions with their stringent reliability require-
ments.

NASA’s Choice to Resupply the Space Station

In December 2008, NASA announced the selection of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch

vehicle and Dragon Spacecraft to provide cargo resupply services the Interna-
tional Space Station (ISS). The $1.6 billion contract represents a minimum of 12
flights, with an option to order additional missions for a cumulative total contract
value of up to $3.1 billion.

NASA cited SpaceX’s significant strengths as follows:

• First stage engine-out capability
• Dual redundant avionics system
• Structural safety factor in excess of industry standards
• Enhanced schedule efficiencies
• Reduced overall technical risk to ISS cargo supply

Falcon Design Features that Enhance Reliability:

• Two stage design for minimum number of separation events

• Redundant stage and fairing separation systems
• Dual redundant avionics system
• Propulsion redundancy and simplicity
• First stage engine-out capability on Falcon 9
• Simplest possible turbopump design – one shaft drives both LOX and RP-1
• Robust structure with high margins
• Hold before liftoff system
• Limited number of independent subsystems:
– High pressure kerosene tapped from turbopump to drive thrust vector
control hydraulic system
– Turbopump exhaust gas is used for roll control
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 P E R F O R M A N C E

SpaceX is developing a family of launch vehicles and spacecraft that increase the
PERFORMANCE
reliability and reduce the cost of both manned and unmanned space transporta-
tion, ultimately by a factor of ten.
The performance of our Falcon line of launch vehicles, powered by SpaceX-
developed Merlin engines, provides for light, medium and heavy lift capabilities to
launch spacecraft into any altitude and inclination, from low-Earth orbit to geosyn-
chronous to planetary missions.
As the first rockets developed in the 21st century, the Falcon series takes advantage
of the latest technologies, as well as 50 years of “lessons learned” in the aerospace
industry. By implementing an automated countdown, simplifying systems and
delivering fully integrated rockets to the launch pad, our launch procedures require
crews that are an order of magnitude smaller than standard.
Incorporating hundreds of innovations in technical design and launch operations,
along with a low-overhead corporate environment, SpaceX is demonstrating that
through simplicity, both reliability and low cost can be achieved in commercial
spaceflight.
The chart below provides a few examples of payloads and orbits our vehicles can
accommodate. Please contact us with your specific needs.
Vehicles, Orbits and Payloads
VEHICLE ORBIT FROM CAPE CANAVERAL FROM KWAJALEIN
Falcon 1 Low Earth Orbit -- 420 kg (9.1°)
Falcon 1e Low Earth Orbit -- 1010 kg (9.1°)
Falcon 9 Low Earth Orbit 10,450 kg (28.5°) 8,560 kg (Polar)
“ Geosync. Transfer Orbit 4,540 kg (28.5°) 4,680 kg (9.1°)
Falcon 9 Heavy Low Earth Orbit 29,610 kg (28.5°) --
“ Geosync. Transfer Orbit 15,010 kg (28.5°) --

• Falcon 1 is the world's first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to achieve Earth orbit. It
provides the lowest cost per flight to orbit of a production rocket.
• In addition to providing break-through improvements in reliability, Falcon 9 offers the lowest
cost per pound / kilogram to orbit.
• A half bay flight of Falcon 9 is available to accommodate customers with payloads sized
between Falcon 1 and Falcon 9.

Falcon 1

Falcon 1e (available 2010) Dragon Spacecraft

Falcon 9
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Falcon 9 Heavy
 F A L C O N 1

Falcon 1 is the world's first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to achieve Earth
orbit. Designed from the ground up, the two stage, liquid oxygen and rocket grade
kerosene (RP-1) powered vehicle provides reliable and cost efficient transport to low
Earth orbit. The Falcon 1 first stage is designed for recovery and reuse.
Length: 21.3 m (70 ft) Mass: 27,670 kg (61,000 lbs)
Width: 1.7 m (5.5 ft) 1st Stage Thrust (vacuum): 418 kN (94,000 lbf)

Beginning in 2010, the enhanced Falcon 1, or Falcon 1e, will provide increased
performance capabilities, and will become SpaceX's standard small launch vehicle.

Length: 24.7 m (81 ft) Mass: 35,180 kg (77,555 lbs)

Width: 1.7 m (5.5 ft) 1st Stage Thrust (vacuum): 569 kN (128,000 lbf)

First Stage
• Flight pressure stabilized architecture developed by SpaceX provides optimization between
a fully pressure stabilized design, and a heavier isogrid design.
• Powered by a single SpaceX Merlin turbo-pump engine, the simplest possible design for a
pump fed engine.
• Hold before lift off system enhances reliability. After engine start, Falcon 1 is held down until
all vehicle systems are verified to be functioning normally before release for liftoff.
• Stage separation occurs via a pneumatic pusher system, released by dual initiated
separation bolts, which have a zero failure track record in prior launch vehicles.

Second Stage
• Tanks are precision machined from aluminum plate with integral flanges, minimizing the
number of welds necessary. Major circumferential welding is performed by an automated
welding machine, reducing the potential for error and ensuring consistent quality.
• Powered by a single SpaceX Kestrel engine, featuring a simple pressure-fed system, and
dual redundant igniters for added reliability of restart.

Payload Accommodation
• Benign flight environment.
• Large available volume for this payload class.
• Standard mechanical interface with a low shock, flight proven separation system.

60 x [1/4” - 28]
Socket Head Bolts
Equally Spaced
ø 0.45
[18]
R 4.1
[38.81] Bolt Circle ø 0.35 [162] 4.4
[14] [175]
3.5
ø 1.0 [136]
[40] 2.8 3.8
[110] [150]
ø 1.55
2.0 [61]
ø 1.4 [79]
Fairing Split Plane [54] 1.7
1.2 PAYLOAD [70]
[49] VOLUME
PAYLOAD
VOLUME

ø 1.5 0.3 ø 1.7 0.3

[60] [12] [67] [12]
meters
[inches] Falcon 1 Fairing Falcon 1e Fairing
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 F A L C O N 9

Falcon 9, like Falcon 1, is a two stage, liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene
(RP-1) powered launch vehicle. It is in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
(EELV) class with a 5.2 m (17 ft) fairing. Falcon 9 can deliver large payloads to Low
Earth Orbit (LEO), Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), and destinations beyond.
Falcon 9 offers breakthrough reliability derived from the nine engine, single tank first
stage configuration. Falcon 9 is the first American launch vehicle since the Saturn V
to offer true engine out redundancy and reliability.
SpaceX offers a dual manifest capability for satellites in between the Falcon 1 and
Falcon 9 payload classes.

Length: 54.9 m (180 ft) Mass: 333,400 kg (735,000 lb)

Width: 3.6 m (12 ft) 1st Stage Thrust (vacuum): 4.94 MN (1,110,000 lbf)
Data reflects the Falcon 9 Block 2 design.

First Stage
• Tank walls and domes are made from aluminum-lithium chosen for its superior performance
and high strength to weight ratio.
• Tank is friction stir welded, the highest strength and most reliable welding technique
available.
• Powered by nine SpaceX Merlin engines.
• Hold before lift off system enhances reliability. After engine start, Falcon is held down until
all vehicle systems are verified to be functioning normally before release for liftoff.

Second Stage
• Tank is a shorter version of the first stage tank
and uses most of the same tooling, material and
manufacturing techniques – resulting in signifi-
cant cost savings in vehicle production.
• A single Merlin engine, with a larger vacuum ø 1.3
nozzle for efficiency, powers the Falcon 9 upper [53]
stage. For added reliability, the engine has dual
redundant pyrophoric igniters and four injection
ports to ensure engine ignition.

13.9
Payload Accommodation: 5.2 meter Fairing [546]
ø 4.6
[181]
11.4
[450]
meters
[inches]
6.6
[261]
PAYLOAD
VOLUME

1.4
[54]
ø [62.010] Bolt Circle
121 x [1/4” - 28]
Socket Head Bolts ø 5.2
Equally Spaced [204]
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 D R A G O N

DRAGON Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft being developed by SpaceX under

NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. Subsystems
include propulsion, power, thermal control, environmental control, avionics, commu-
nications, thermal protection, flight software, guidance, navigation & control, entry
descent & landing, and recovery.
Though designed to address cargo and crew requirements for the International
Space Station (ISS), as a free-flying spacecraft Dragon also provides an excellent
platform for in-space technology demonstrations and scientific instrument testing.
SpaceX is currently manifesting fully commercial, non-ISS Dragon flights under the
name “DragonLab”. DragonLab represents an emergent capability for in-space
experimentation.
Dragon Spacecraft Payload Capabilities
• Fully recoverable capsule
• 6,000 kg (13,228 lbs) total payload up-mass
• 3,000 kg (6,614 lbs) total payload down-mass
• Attitude: 0.004° determination; 0.012° control
• Communication: IP addressable payloads,
up to 150 Mbps peak downlink
• Payload Power: 28 VDC & 120 VDC,
up to 2,000 W average (4,000 W peak)
• Payload Volume:
7 to 10 m3 (245 ft3) pressurized
14 m3 (490 ft3) unpressurized*
or 34 m3 (1,200 ft3) with extended trunk
• Payload Loading: as late as Launch -9 hours
Overall Length: 6.1 m (20 ft)
• Payload Access: as early as Landing +6 hours
• Mission Duration: 1 week to 2 years Max Diameter: 3.7 m (12.1 ft)

Uses
• Highly Responsive payload hosting • Radiation effects research
• Sensors/apertures up to 3.5 m (138 in) dia. • Microgravity research
• Instruments and sensor testing • Life science and biotech studies
• Spacecraft deployment • Earth sciences and observations
• Space physics and relativity experiments • Materials & space environments research
• Space weather research • Robotic servicing

Forward Hatch
R 0.3 1.3 0.66 0.66 0.91
[12] [50] [26] [26] [36] Side Hatch
4x ø 2.4 [95]
A

1.6
View A-A

Capsule Volume [64]

Forward Hatch 0.73 7 m 3 [245 ft 3 ] 2.9
View

Front View [29] ø 3.1 [123] [116]

Sensor 0.7
1.2 [28]
[47] 0.40 0.86 Bay
Hatch ø 2.1 [83]
A

[16] [34]
Sensor Bay
Volume: Usable Trunk
0.1 m 3 1.1
Volume [43]*
[3.5 ft 3 ] 14 m 3 [490 ft 3 ] * 2.3
ø 3.6 3.2
[142] [125] [91]*

ø 3.6
[142]
*Standard trunk. Also available meters
Trunk Aft View with 34 m3 Extended Trunk. Side View [inches]
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 C U S T O M E R S

Customer Date† Vehicle

DARPA Demo Flight 1 √ March 24, 2006 Falcon 1
DARPA Demo Flight 2 √ March 20, 2007 Falcon 1
DoD ORS Office, ATSB (Malaysia) & NASA √ August 2, 2008 Falcon 1
Falcon 1 Flight 4 √ Sept. 28, 2008 Falcon 1
ATSB (Malaysia) √ July 13, 2009 Falcon 1
Falcon 9 Inaugural Flight 2009 Falcon 9
NASA COTS - Demo C1 2010 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA COTS - Demo C2 2010 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA COTS - Demo C3 2010 Falcon 9 / Dragon
Falcon 1e Inaugural Flight 2010 Falcon 1e
ORBCOMM (multiple launches) 2010-2014 Falcon 1e
MDA Corporation (Canada) 2011 Falcon 9
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 1 2011 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 2 2011 Falcon 9 / Dragon
DragonLab Mission 1 2012 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 3 2012 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 4 2012 Falcon 9 / Dragon
CONAE (Argentina) 2012 Falcon 9
Spacecom (Israel) 2012 Falcon 9
DragonLab Mission 2 2013 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 5 2013 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 6 2013 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 7 2013 Falcon 9 / Dragon
CONAE (Argentina) 2013 Falcon 9
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 8 2014 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 9 2014 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 10 2014 Falcon 9 / Dragon
Astrium (Europe) 2014 Falcon 1e
Bigelow Aerospace 2014 Falcon 9
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 11 2015 Falcon 9 / Dragon
NASA Commercial Resupply to ISS - Flight 12 2015 Falcon 9 / Dragon

√ = Launched.
† Target date for hardware arrival at launch site.
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Check SpaceX.com for launch manifest updates.

 T O O R B I T

On 28 September 2008 Falcon 1 became the first privately

developed liquid fuel rocket to achieve Earth orbit.

And on 13 July 2009 we delivered our first commercial

satellite to orbit for ATSB of Malaysia.

Designed for the highest levels of reliability, Falcon 1 leads

the world market in providing the lowest cost to orbit of
any launch system.
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