Falcon 9

Falcon 9

Falcon 9 launches with first Dragon spacecraft
Function Orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer SpaceX
Country of origin United States
Cost per launch (2012) Normal:

LEO (<80% cap.) $49.9M [1]
LEO (>80% cap.) $56.0M [1]
GTO (<3,000 kg) $49.9M [1]
GTO (>3,000 kg) $56.0M [1]
Size
Height 54.3 m (178 ft)
Diameter 3.66 m (12.0 ft)
Mass 333,400 kg (735,000 lb)
Stages 2
Capacity
Payload to LEO 10,450 kg (23,000 lb)
Payload to
GTO		 4,540 kg (10,000 lb)
Launch history
Status Active
Launch sites Cape Canaveral SLC-40
Vandenberg SLC-4E
Total launches 2
Successes 2
Failures 0
Maiden flight June 4, 2010[2]
First stage
Engines 9 Merlin 1C
Thrust 5,000 kN (1,100,000 lbf)(sl)
Specific impulse Sea level: 255 sec (2.6 kN/kg)
Vacuum: 304 sec (3.0 kN/kg)
Burn time 170 seconds[3]
Fuel LOX/RP-1
Second stage
Engines 1 Merlin Vacuum
Thrust 445 kN (100,000 lbf)
Specific impulse Vacuum: 342 sec (3.45 kN/kg)[4]
Burn time 345 seconds
Fuel LOX/RP-1

Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen (LOX) and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) propellants. SpaceX plans to build several variants to lift payloads of 10,450–26,610 kilograms (23,000–58,700 lb) to low Earth orbit, and 4,450–15,010 kilograms (9,800–33,100 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit, which will place the Falcon 9 design in the medium-lift range of launch systems.

The first Falcon 9 flight was launched, after several delays, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on June 4, 2010, at 2:45 p.m. EDT (19:45 UTC) with a successful orbital insertion.[5]

The second launch of the Falcon 9, and the first of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft atop it, occurred at 10:43 EST (15:43 UTC) on December 8, 2010, from Cape Canaveral.[6] The Dragon spacecraft completed two orbits, then splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.[7]

The Falcon 9 and Dragon combination won a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract from NASA to resupply the International Space Station under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.

Contents

Design

The base Falcon 9 is a two stage, LOX/RP-1 powered launch vehicle. Its first stage is powered by nine SpaceX Merlin 1C rocket engines with 556 kN (125,000 lbf) sea-level thrust per engine for a total thrust on liftoff of about 5.0 MN (1.1 million lbf).[8] The Falcon 9 first stage uses a pyrophoric mixture of triethylaluminum-triethylborane (TEA-TEB) as a first-stage ignitor.[9]

Second stage

The upper stage is powered by a single Merlin engine modified for vacuum operation, with an expansion ratio of 117:1 and a nominal burn time of 345 seconds. For added reliability of restart, the engine has dual redundant pyrophoric igniters (TEA-TEB).[8] SpaceX has expressed hopes that both stages will eventually be reusable.[10]

The interstage, which connects the upper and lower stage for Falcon 9, is a carbon fiber aluminum core composite structure. Stage separation occurs via reusable separation collets and a pneumatic pusher system. The Falcon 9 tank walls and domes are made from aluminum lithium alloy. SpaceX uses an all-friction stir welded tank, the highest strength and most reliable welding technique available. The second stage tank of Falcon 9 is simply a shorter version of the first stage tank and uses most of the same tooling, material and manufacturing techniques. This saves money during vehicle production.[8]

Reliability

The reliability of the Falcon-9 will not be established until the vehicle has a significant launch record, however, the company has stated in their press materials that it will have a very high reliability, due to their philosophy that "through simplicity, reliability and low cost can go hand-in-hand."[11]

As with the company's smaller Falcon 1 vehicle, Falcon 9's launch sequence includes a hold-down feature that allows full engine ignition and systems check before liftoff. After first stage engine start, the launcher is held down and not released for flight until all propulsion and vehicle systems are confirmed to be operating normally. Similar hold-down systems have been used on other launch vehicles such as the Saturn V[12] and Space Shuttle. An automatic safe shut-down and unloading of propellant occurs if any abnormal conditions are detected.[8]

Like the Saturn V and the unrealized Falcon 5 design, the presence of multiple first stage engines allows for mission completion even if one of the first-stage engines fails mid-flight. This is known as "engine-out capability".[8] Falcon 9 is the first rocket "since the Saturn series from the Apollo program to incorporate engine-out capability"[13]

Falcon 9 has triple redundant flight computers and inertial navigation, with a GPS overlay for additional orbit insertion accuracy.[8]

Reusability

Although the first stage has parachutes and was intended to be recovered to demonstrate (possible future) reuse, to date SpaceX has failed to recover the stages from their initial test launches. The stages are expendable for the initial launches. By flight six, the first stage is intended to be recovered.[10] Although reusability of the second stage is more difficult, SpaceX has intended both stages of the Falcon 9 to be reusable.[14] Musk stated:

"By [Falcon 9] flight six we think it’s highly likely we’ll recover the first stage, and when we get it back we’ll see what survived through re-entry, and what got fried, and carry on with the process. ... That's just to make the first stage reusable, it'll be even harder with the second stage – which has got to have a full heatshield, it'll have to have deorbit propulsion and communication."[10]

Both stages are covered with a layer of ablative cork, have parachutes to land them gently in the sea and have been marinized by using materials that resist salt-water corrosion, anodizing and paying attention to galvanic corrosion.[14]

While many commentators are skeptical about reusability, Musk has said that if the vehicle does not become reusable, "I will consider us to have failed.”[15]

SpaceX announced on 29th September 2011 at the National Press Club they would attempt to develop powered descent and recovery of both Falcon 9 stages – a fully vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rocket.[16] [17] Included was a video[18] said to be an approximation depicting the first stage returning tail-first for a powered descent and the second stage, with heat shield, rentering head first before rotating for a powered descent.[19]

Launch sites

There is one active launch site and two others are planned or proposed:

Launcher versions

Version Falcon 9 block 1 Falcon 9 block 2
Stage 0
Stage 1 9 × Merlin 1C 9 × Merlin 1C[22]
Stage 2 1 x Merlin 1C Vacuum 1 x Merlin 1C Vacuum
Height
(max; m)		 53[23] 54.9 (180 ft)[22]
Diameter
(m)		 3.6 or 5.2(large fairing)[22] 3.6 or 5.2(large fairing)[22]
Initial thrust
(kN)		 4,940 (1,110,000 lb/ft)[22]
Takeoff weight
(tonnes)		 318[23] 333[22]
Fairing diameter
(Inner; m)		 4.6 [24]
Payload
(LEO; kg)		 9,900 kg(launch at Cape Canaveral)[23] 8,560 (polar orbit from Kwajalein) or 10,450 (launch at Cape Canaveral)[22]
Payload
(GTO; kg)		 2,400[23] 4,680 (launch at Kwajalein) or 4,540 (launch at Cape Canaveral)[22]
Price
(Mil. USD)		 49.9–56 to LEO; 49.9–56 (according to Satellite Mass) to GTO[1]
minimal Price/kg
(LEO; USD)		 5,360[1]
minimal Price/kg
(GTO; USD)		 12,000[1]
Success ratio
(successful/total)		 2/2 0/0

Historical data based on circa 2007 specifications may be found in these three sources.[25] [26] [27]

Initial descriptions

At an appearance in May 2004 before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Elon Musk testified, "Long term plans call for development of a heavy lift product and even a super-heavy, if there is customer demand. [...] Ultimately, I believe $500 per pound [of payload delivered to orbit] or less is very achievable."[28]

SpaceX formally announced plans for the Falcon 9 on 2005-09-08, describing it as being a "fully reusable heavy lift launch vehicle."[29] A Falcon 9 medium was described as being capable of launching approximately 21,000 lb (9,500 kg) to low Earth orbit, priced at $27 million per flight ($1286/lb).

Funding

While SpaceX's previous launcher, the Falcon-1, was developed using private funding, the development of the Falcon-9 was funded by NASA, starting with seed money from the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program[30]. Musk is quoted as stating that if NASA funding had not been available to develop the Falcon-9, the vehicle would have been developed with private funding, but at a slower pace.

Payload services

Falcon 9 payload services include secondary and tertiary payload connection via an ESPA-ring, the same interstage adapter first utilized for launching secondary payloads on US DoD missions that utilize the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELV) Atlas V and Delta IV. This reduces launch costs for the primary mission and enables secondary and even tertiary missions with minimal impact to the original mission. As of 2011, SpaceX announced pricing for ESPA-compatible payloads on the Falcon 9.[31]

Production and testing

As of December 2010, the Falcon 9 production line is manufacturing one new Falcon 9 (and Dragon spacecraft) every three months. In 2012, this is expected to double to one every six weeks.[32]

Production history

On April 12, 2007 SpaceX announced it had completed the primary structure for its first Falcon 9 first-stage tank.[33] The tank was shipped to a SpaceX test facility in Texas for first-stage static firing validation. The first multi-engine test (with two engines connected to the first stage, firing simultaneously) was successfully completed in January 2008,[34] with successive tests leading to the full Falcon 9 complement of nine engines test fired for a full mission length (178 seconds) of the first stage on November 22, 2008.[35]

The original NASA COTS contract called for the first demonstration flight of Falcon in September 2008, and completion of all three demonstration missions by September 2009.[36] February 2008, the plan for the first Falcon 9/Dragon COTS Demo flight was delayed by six months to late in the first quarter of 2009. According to Elon Musk, the complexity of the development work and the regulatory requirements for launching from Cape Canaveral have contributed to the delay.[37] The first COTS demo flight was delayed several additional times, and was eventually scheduled for December 2010.[38]

In October 2009, the first flight-ready first stage had a successful all-engine test fire at the company's test stand in McGregor, TX. In November 2009 Space X conducted the initial second stage test firing lasting forty seconds. This test involved a new test stand and a new flight stage, and succeeded without aborts or recycles. On January 2, 2010, a full-duration (329 seconds) orbit-insertion firing of the Falcon 9 second stage was conducted at the McGregor test site The full stack arrived at the launch site for integration at the beginning of February 2010, and SpaceX initially scheduled a launch date of March 22, 2010, though they estimated anywhere between one and three months for integration and testing.[39]

On February 25, 2010 SpaceX's first flight stack was set vertical at Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral,[40] and on March 9, SpaceX performed a static fire test, where the first stage was to be fired without taking off. Some fire and smoke were seen at the base of the rocket, leading to speculation of an engine fire. However, all components checked out, but the test executed a nominal abort at T-2 seconds due to a failure in the spin-start system. This system is designed to pump high pressure helium from the launch pad into the first stage turbopumps to get them spinning in preparation for launch. Subsequent review showed that the failure was a valve that didn't receive a command to open. As the problem was with the pad and not with the rocket itself, it didn't occur at the McGregor test site, which didn't have the same valve setup. No damage was sustained by the vehicle or the test pad and the fire and smoke were the result of normal burnoff from the liquid oxygen and fuel mix present in the system prior to launch. All vehicle systems leading up to the abort performed as expected and no additional issues were noted that needed addressing. A subsequent test on March 13 was successful in firing the nine first-stage engines for 3.5 seconds.[41]

The delay of the first flight from March 2010 to June was due to review of the Falcon 9 flight termination system by the Air Force. On June 1, SpaceX announced on their update page that they had completed testing of the FTS and all results were nominal.

The first actual launch attempt, at 1:30pm EDT on Friday, June 4, 2010 (1730 UTC), was aborted shortly after ignition, and the rocket successfully went through a failsafe abort.[42] Ground crews were able to recycle the rocket, and successfully launched it at 2:45pm EDT (1845 UTC) the same day.[5]

Maiden Launch

Main article: Falcon 9 Flight 1

The Falcon 9 maiden launch occurred on June 4, 2010 and was deemed a success, placing the test payload within 1 percent of the intended orbit. The second stage engine performed a short second burn to demonstrate its multiple firing capability.[43]

The rocket experienced, "a little bit of roll at liftoff" as Ken Bowersox from SpaceX put it. This roll had stopped prior to the craft reaching the top of the tower.[44] The second stage began to slowly roll near the end of its burn which was not expected.[43]

The halo from the venting of propellant from the Falcon 9 rocket as it rolled in space could be seen from all of Eastern Australia and some believed it to be a UFO.[45][46]

Continued development

Main article: COTS Demo Flight 1

The next launch attempt for Falcon 9 was COTS Demo Flight 1, with an operational Dragon module. The launch took place on December 8, 2010.[6] The flight placed the Dragon capsule in a roughly 300-kilometer (190 mi) orbit. After two orbits, the capsule re-entered the atmosphere to be recovered off the coast of Mexico.[7] This flight tested the pressure vessel integrity, attitude control using the Draco engines, telemetry, guidance, navigation, control systems, the PICA-X heat shield, and parachutes at speed.

Launches and scheduled launches

Note, that as of 9 July 2011, the COTS 2 and COTS 3 missions may be combined, and that no flights currently appear on the Kennedy Space Center launch manifest regarding any fall 2011 launches by Falcon 9. Waiting for official confirmation from both NASA and SpaceX on both date and mission profile for these two flights.

Flight No Date & Time (GMT) Payload Customer Outcome Remarks
1 4 June 2010, 18:45 Dragon Spacecraft Qualification Unit SpaceX Success 1st Successful Flight of Falcon 9 Block 1[43]
2 8 Dec 2010, 15:43[47] NASA COTS – Demo 1, 2 Cubesats[48] NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, National Reconnaissance Office Success maiden flight of Dragon Capsule; 3 hours, testing of maneuvering thrusters and reentry[49]
7 Feb 2012[50][51][52] NASA COTS – Demo 2/3[50] NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Scheduled Combined COTS 2 and 3 mission that includes docking with Space Station
2012-2014 2 OG2 satellites[53] Orbcomm Scheduled Commercial mission
2012 CASSIOPE[54] MDA Corp Scheduled
2012 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 1[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2012 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 2[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2013 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 3[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2013 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 4[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2014 SAOCOM 1A[56] CONAE Scheduled
2015 AMOS-4[57][58] Spacecom Scheduled
2014 DragonLab Mission 1 SpaceX Scheduled
2014 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 5[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2013 SES-8 communication satellite[59][60] SES Scheduled First geostationary launch for Falcon 9. 1Q2013[59]
2014 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 6[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2014 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 7[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2013 Thaicom 6 THAICOM Scheduled (second quarter of 2013)
2013 SAOCOM 1B[56] CONAE Scheduled
2013 Google Lunar X Prize Moon Mission[61] Astrobotic Technology Scheduled (no earlier than December 2013) deliver a lander, small rover and up to 240 pounds (110 kg) of payload to the surface of the Moon[61]
2014 Space Systems/Loral[62] Space Systems Scheduled
2014 TBD Spacecom (Israel) Scheduled
2014 TBD CONAE (Argentina) Scheduled
2014 DragonLab Mission 2 SpaceX Scheduled
2015 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 8[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2015 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 9[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2015 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 10[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2015 TBD Bigelow Aerospace[55] Scheduled Probable payload: Bigelow Sundancer with a stated mass of 8,618.4 kg, 1,832 kg under Falcon 9 stated lift capability
2015 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 11[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2015 NASA Resupply to ISS – Flight 12[55] NASA Commercial Resupply Services Scheduled
2015 TBD SES Scheduled
2015 TBD CONAE (Argentina) Scheduled
2015–2017 Iridium NEXT[20][63] Iridium Communications Inc. Scheduled up to 10 launches with multiple satellites per launch.

See also

Notes

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  2. ^ "Detailed Mission Data – Falcon-9 ELV First Flight Demonstration". Mission Set Database. NASA GSFC. http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/MissionData.php?mission=Falcon-9%20ELV%20First%20Flight%20Demonstration. Retrieved 2010-05-26. 
  3. ^ "Falcon 9 User's Guide". SpaceX. http://www.spacex.com/Falcon9UsersGuide_2009.pdf. Retrieved 12 June 2010. 
  4. ^ "SpaceX Falcon 9 Upper Stage Engine Successfully Completes Full Mission Duration Firing" (Press release). SpaceX. March 10, 2009. http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20090310. 
  5. ^ a b Staff writer (August 20, 2010). "SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket enjoys successful maiden flight". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10209704.stm. Retrieved 2010-06-05. 
  6. ^ a b BBC News. "Private space capsule's maiden voyage ends with a splash." December 8, 2010. December 8, 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11948329
  7. ^ a b "COTS Demo Flight 1 status". SpaceFlight Now. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/002/status.html. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Falcon 9 Overview". SpaceX. 8 May 2010. http://www.spacex.com/falcon9.php. 
  9. ^ Mission Status Center, June 2, 2010, 1905 GMT, SpaceflightNow, accessed 2010-06-02, Quotation: "The flanges will link the rocket with ground storage tanks containing liquid oxygen, kerosene fuel, helium, gaserous nitrogen and the first stage ignitor source called triethylaluminum-triethylborane, better known as TEA-TAB."
  10. ^ a b c Musk ambition: SpaceX aim for fully reusable Falcon 9, NASAspaceflight.com, 2009-01-12, accessed 2010-06-03
  11. ^ Space Exploration Technologies, Inc., Reliability brochure, v 12, undated (accessed Dec. 29, 2011)
  12. ^ NASA PAO, Hold-Down Arms and Tail Service Masts, Moonport, SP-4204 (accessed 26 August 2010)
  13. ^ Behind the Scenes With the World's Most Ambitious Rocket Makers, Popular Mechanics, 2009-09-01, accessed 2012-12-11. "It is the first since the Saturn series from the Apollo program to incorporate engine-out capability—that is, one or more engines can fail and the rocket will still make it to orbit."
  14. ^ a b Lindsey, Clark S. "Interview* with Elon Musk". HobbySpace. http://www.hobbyspace.com/AAdmin/archive/Interviews/Systems/ElonMusk.html. Retrieved 17 June 2010. 
  15. ^ a b c Simburg, Rand. "SpaceX Press Conference". http://www.transterrestrial.com/?p=27574. Retrieved 16 June 2010. . Musk quote: “We will never give up! Never! Reusability is one of the most important goals. If we become the biggest launch company in the world, making money hand over fist, but we’re still not reusable, I will consider us to have failed.”
  16. ^ "Elon Musk says SpaceX will attempt to develop fully reusable space launch vehicle". Washington Post. 2011-09-29. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/elon-musk-says-spacex-will-attempt-to-develop-fully-reusable-space-launch-vehicle/2011/09/29/gIQAnN9E8K_story.html. Retrieved 2011-10-11. "Both of the rocket’s stages would return to the launch site and touch down vertically, under rocket power, on landing gear after delivering a spacecraft to orbit." 
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  18. ^ http://www.spacex.com/assets/video/spacex-rtls-green.mp4
  19. ^ National Press Club: The Future of Human Spaceflight, cspan, 29 Sep 2011.
  20. ^ a b Largest Commercial Rocket Launch Deal Ever Signed by SpaceX , SPACE.com, 2010-06-16, accessed 2010-06-16.
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  24. ^ | 5.2 "Falcon 9 Overview". SpaceX. 2011. http://www.spacex.com/falcon9.php. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
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  27. ^ "Falcon 1 Overview". SpaceX. 28 September 2007. http://www.spacex.com/falcon1.php. 
  28. ^ Testimony of Elon Musk (May 5, 2004). "Space Shuttle and the Future of Space Launch Vehicles". U.S. Senate. http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=12774. 
  29. ^ "SpaceX Announces the Falcon 9 Fully Reusable Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle" (Press release). SpaceX. 2005-09-08. http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=18. 
  30. ^ Mr. Alan Lindenmoyer, Manager, NASA Commercial Crew & Cargo Program, quoted in Minutes of the NAC Commercial Space Committee, April 26, 2010
  31. ^ Foust, Jeff (2011-08-22). "New opportunities for smallsat launches". The Space Review. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1913/1. Retrieved 2011-09-27. "SpaceX ... developed prices for flying those secondary payloads ... A P-POD would cost between $200,000 and $325,000 for missions to LEO, or $350,000 to $575,000 for missions to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). An ESPA-class satellite weighing up to 180 kilograms would cost $4–5 million for LEO missions and $7–9 million for GTO missions, he said." 
  32. ^ Q & A with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: Master of Private Space Dragons, space.com, 2010-12-08, accessed 2010-12-09. "now have Falcon 9 and Dragon in steady production at approximately one F9/Dragon every three months. The F9 production rate doubles to one every six weeks in 2012."
  33. ^ "SpaceX Completes Primary Structure of the Falcon 9 First Stage Tank" (Press release). Space Exploration Technologies Corp.. 2007-04-11. http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=27. 
  34. ^ "SpaceX Conducts First Multi-Engine Firing of Falcon 9 Rocket" (Press release). SpaceX. 18 January 2008. http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=35. 
  35. ^ "SpaceX successfully conducts full mission-length firing of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle" (Press release). SpaceX. November 23, 2008. http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20081123. 
  36. ^ Space Act Agreement between NASA and Space Exploration Technologies, Inc., for Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Demonstration (pdf)
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  38. ^ Irene Klotz. "SpaceX Asks For Oct. 23 Dragon Launch Slot". http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2010/08/30/07.xml&headline=SpaceX%20Asks%20For%20Oct.%2023%20Dragon%20Launch%20Slot. 
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  59. ^ a b "SpaceX and SES Announce SATELLITE Launch Agreement". RLV and Space Transport News. 2011-03-14. http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=27919. Retrieved 2011-03-14. "the first geostationary satellite launch using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The firm launch agreement with SpaceX also includes an option for a second SES launch. ... The SES-8 satellite is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2013 from SpaceX’s Launch Complex 40 at the Air Force Station at Cape Canaveral, Florida." 
  60. ^ Morring, Frank, Jr. (2011-03-23). "Satellite Operators Boost Launch Competition". Aviation Week. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/awst/2011/03/21/AW_03_21_2011_p24-297637.xml&headline=Satellite%20Operators%20Boost%20Launch%20Competition. Retrieved 2011-03-24. "'The decision by SES to launch a medium-size geostationary communications satellite on a Space Exploration Technologies Inc. (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket marks another effort by satellite operators to add to their bottom lines by taking a tight-fisted approach to the prices they pay for launch services. ... 'SES-8 is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2013 to the orbital slot at 95 deg. East Long., where it will be co-located with the NSS-6 satellite to support growing demand for direct-to-home broadcast TV delivery in South Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as customers in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Australia, Papua New Guinea and Korea." 
  61. ^ a b "SpaceX Lands Contract To Fly To Moon". Aviation Week. 2011-02-08. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2011/02/08/01.xml&headline=SpaceX%20Lands%20Contract%20To%20Fly%20To%20Moon. Retrieved 2011-02-08. "Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology, a Carnegie Mellon University spin-off company, has signed a launch services contract with Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) for a Falcon 9 rocket to deliver a lander, small rover and up to about 240 lb. of payload to the surface of the Moon" 
  62. ^ "SpaceX and Space Systems/Loral Sign Contract for Falcon 9 Geosynchronous Transfer" (Press release). SpaceX. March 15, 2010. http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20100315. Retrieved 2010-06-04. 
  63. ^ "Elon Musk: SpaceX signs “biggest” commercial launch deal ever" (Press release). Orlando Sentinel. 2010-06-16. http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_space_thewritestuff/2010/06/elon-musk-spacex-signs-biggest-commercial-launch-deal-ever.html. Retrieved 2010-06-17. 

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