SpaceX Liftoff credit:SpaceX
firings of the first stage, nine engine cluster for its Falcon 9 launch
vehicle. The firings took place at SpaceX’s Texas Test Site, a 300-acre
structural and propulsion testing facility just outside of Waco, Texas. With
completion of these tests, the first stage has now passed both structural and
propulsion acceptance testing and will ship to Cape Canaveral in preparation
for the first flight of Falcon 9.
The first test fired for 10 seconds and occurred on October 12th at
approximately 7:30 pm CDT. The second test began around 4:30 pm CDT on October
16th, and lasted 30 seconds.
The first stage of Falcon 9 uses a cluster of nine SpaceX-designed and
developed Merlin engines. Using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, the
cluster generates nearly a million pounds of thrust for the vehicle upon
liftoff. The Merlin engine is one of the only liquid rocket engines designed
in the United States in the last few decades, and is now among the highest
performing gas generator cycle kerosene engines ever built, exceeding the
Boeing Delta II main engine, the Lockheed Martin Atlas II main engine, and on
par with the Saturn V F-1 engine.
The stage will ship to SpaceX’s launch site at Cape Canaveral next month to
begin vehicle integration in preparation for first flight. The inaugural
flight of Falcon 9 will be a demonstration flight and will launch a Dragon
spacecraft qualification unit into orbit to provide SpaceX with valuable
aerodynamic and performance information.
via: SpaceX
