20/07/2016

FalconHeavyRockets

Wednesday,July20,2016

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Falcon Heavy
FalconHeavy
is a super
heavy

lift

space launch
system
developed
and operated
by

Space

Exploration
Technologies,
SpaceX.
Using

American Launchers

the

companys
Falcon

Antares100Series

AtlasV401

launcher as a
basis, Falcon

AtlasV421

Heavy
consists
three

of
F9

cores with a
total of 27
Merlin

AtlasV501
AtlasV531
AtlasV541
AtlasV551

engines,
topped by a
Falcon

upper stage.
Operated
from
Vandenberg
Air

Image:SpaceX

Force

Base and the

DeltaII7320
DeltaII7920
DeltaIVHeavy
DeltaIVHeavy(RS68A)
DeltaIVMedium+(4,2)
DeltaIVMedium+(5,2)

Kennedy

DeltaIVMedium+(5,4)

Space

Falcon9FT

Center,
FalconHeavy
http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/falconheavy/

FalconHeavy
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FalconHeavyRockets

can be used

Falcon9v1.1&F9R

to access a
variety

Falcon9v1.0

of

orbits

MinotaurI

including Low
Earth

MinotaurV

Orbit,

Geostationary

PegasusXL

TransferOrbit

SPARKSuperStrypi

and
interplanetary
trajectories.
The

vehicle

includes

re

usable
technologies
and aims to
reuse its two
side boosters
and

core

stage

that

make guided

UsedEnginesforSale

Chevy409Engine

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RVEnginesforSale

boostback
maneuvers
Image:SpaceX

and

Russia

propulsive
landingstoberefurbishedwithminimaleffort.

AngaraLaunchVehicleFamily
UsingastandardFalcon9andclusteringtwoadditionalcorestoit,FalconHeavyemploysthe
sameoveralldesignprincipleastheDeltaIVHeavythatfeaturesthreeCommonBoosterCore

Angara1.2

stages, and the Russian Angara family based on Universal Rocket Modules that can be

Angara1.2PP

clusteredtocoverdifferentpayloadclasses.FalconHeavyislargerthanthesetwolaunchers

AngaraA3

andcapableofreachingtwicethepayloadcapabilityoftheDeltaIVHeavywhichcurrentlyis
themostpowerfulspacelaunchsystemintheworld.
SpaceXinitiatedthedevelopmentofitsheavylaunchsysteminthefirsthalfofthe2000swith

AngaraA5
AngaraA7

thegoalofcreatingalauncherthatcancompetewiththeworldsheavylifterssuchasDeltaIV

Dnepr

Heavy and Ariane 5 on the commercial launch market, focused on commercial satellites

ProtonM/BlockDM03

headedtoGeostationaryTransferOrbit.Originally,FalconHeavywasplannedtomakeitsfirst
flighttwoyearsafterFalcon9,startingoutasFalcon9Heavysinceanotherversionbased

ProtonM/BrizM

onthenowcanceledFalcon5wasalsoplanned.

Rockot

InitialperformancedataforFalconHeavywaspublishedbySpaceXin2006showingaLow

Soyuz21A

Earth Orbit payload capability of 24,750 Kilograms and a launch cost of $78 million. These

Soyuz21B

numbers changed quite often, usually trending up with LEO capabilities rising to 28 metric
tons by 2007 and to 32 metric tons by 2010 with a projected launch cost of $95 million. By
2011,ElonMuskannouncedthatdevelopmentofthelauncherwascompleted,nowusingthe
v1.1versionofFalcon9asabaselinewhichfurtherincreasedthesizeandperformanceofthe
FalconHeavy.

Soyuz21v
SoyuzFG
SoyuzFG/Fregat
SoyuzU

UniversalDual
DVBCI

2xDVBStrela
C/C2/T/T2/S/S2
Zenit3SL
inputs,2xCIslots
Zenit3SLB
Falcon
Heavys

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first

flight

was
originally
plannedout

China
LongMarch2F
LongMarch3A

of

LongMarch3B
LongMarch3B/E
LongMarch3C
LongMarch3C/E
LongMarch6

Europe

Image:SpaceX
Vandenberg with an initial target of 2013. After SpaceX took over operation of Launch
Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center and Falcon Heavy fell behind schedule, its first

Ariane5ECA

missionwasshiftedfromthewesttotheeastcoast.

Ariane5ES

In 2015, Falcon Heavy was shown to have a payload capability of 53,000kg into LEO,

Vega

21,200kg to Geostationary Transfer Orbit and 13,200kg that can be inserted into a Trans
Martian Trajectory. Performance parameters were revised in 2016 showing Falcon Heavy to
becapableoflifting54,400kgtoLEO,22,200kgtoGTOand13,600kgtoMarswhenflyingin

Japan

itsexpendableconfiguration.
FalconHeavyemploysreusabletechnologiesthatarealsousedontheFalcon9suchasgrid

Epsilon

fins,landinglegsandreignitioncapabilitytoflytheoutercoresandthecorestagebacktothe

HIIA202

launch site or a floating platform in the ocean. Depending on the reusability mode that is

HIIA204

selected,FalconHeavywillbefacingpayloadpenalties.

HIIB
Falcon Heavy surpasses the payload capability of all current launch vehicles and only falls
shorttotheSaturnVandEnergiarocketsthatwerecapableofcarryingmoremassintoorbit.
AllrequirementsforhumanratingarebeingmetorexceededbyFalconHeavy,broadeningits

India

potentialfutureapplications.
GSLVMk.II

Falcon Heavy | Flight Animation

GSLVMk.III
PSLV

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Falcon Heavy Specications

Type

FalconHeavy

http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/falconheavy/

Falcon

Heavy
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FalconHeavyRockets

Height

70m

stands

70

CoreDiameter

3.66m

meters tall with

LaunchMass

1,420,788kg

Stages

and

Boosters

launch mass of

Span

12.2m

MasstoLEO

54,400kg(28.5)

consisting of a

MasstoGTO

22,200kg(27)

Falcon 9 core

PayloadtoMars

13,600kg

LaunchCost

$90M(<8.0mT),[$130M(>8.0mT)]

to the central

TotalLiftoffThrust

22,819kN(M1D+Engines)

stage

TotalVacThrust

24,681kN(M1D+Engines)

a core diameter
of 3.66 meters
a

total

1,420,800
Kilograms

stage with two

cores attached

functioning

as

boosters. The

launcherusesastandardFalcon9secondstageand5.2meterdiameterpayloadfairing.
Each of the cores sports nine Merlin 1D engines for a total number of engines on the first
stageof27,onlysurpassedbytheSovietN1rocketintermsofthenumberofenginesignited
atliftoff.Propellantcrossfeedbetweenthecoresisanoptionalupgradethatwillbeusedfor
theheaviestpayloads,otherwise,thecentralcorewouldthrottledownitsenginestobeableto
burn beyond the propulsion phase of the outer cores. The second stage is equipped with a
Merlin1DVacengineoptimizedforoperationinvacuum.
AllstagesofFalconHeavyusechilledRocketPropellant1fuelandsubcooledLiquidOxygen
oxidizer,employingpropellantdensificationtooptimizethemassfractionofthevehicle,further
pushingpayloadcapabilitiesandallowingMerlin1D+tooperateatitsfullpotential.
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Falcon9

SpaceX

RocketSpace

Core Stage & Merlin 1D Engine

Photo:ElonMuskviaTwitter

Falcon
Heavy
usesa
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central
core
stage
that

Photo:SpaceX
represents

Type

FalconHeavyCore

Length*

41.2m

Diameter

3.66m

with

InertMass*

25,600kg

strengthened

PropellantMass*

409,500kg

Fuel

RocketPropellant1

for

Oxidizer

LiquidOxygen

boosters in the

RP1Mass*

123,100kg

LOXMass*

286,400kg

LOXTank

Monocoque

RP1Tank

Stringer&RingFrame

Material

AluminumLithium

about

Guidance

From2ndStage

meters tall and

TankPressurization

HeatedHelium

Propulsion

9xMerlin1D+

featuring

EngineArrangement

Octaweb

standarddesign

EngineType

GasGenerator,OpenCycle

PropellantFeed

Turbopump

above the fuel

M1D+Thrust(100%)

SeaLevel:845kNVac:914kN

tank.

EngineDiameter

~1.0m

EngineDryWeight

470kg

utilized on the

BurnTime*

230s

oxidizer

reinforced
Falcon 9 core
a

thrust structure
and interfaces
the

two

forward and aft

segments.
TheCoreStage
of

Falcon

Heavy

stands
41.2

is 3.66 meters
in

diameter
the

withtheoxidizer
tank

located

Monocoque
structure

is
tank

while the fuel

SpecificImpulse

282s(SL)311s(Vac)[forM1D]

ChamberPressure

>110bar

stringer

ExpansionRatio

16

ringframe

ThrottleCapability

55%to100%(PossiblyDeeper)

RestartCapability

Yes(Partial)

thevehicle.The

Ignition

TEATEB

first stage tank

tank features a

design

that

addsstrengthto

walls
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and

and
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AttitudeControl

GimbaledEngines(pitch,yaw,roll)

domes

are

ColdGasNitrogenRCS

made

from

4GridFins(S1Interstage)
Shutdown
StageSeparation

aluminum
lithiumalloyand

CommandedShutdown

utilize

Pneumaticallyactuated

welding

mechanicalcollets

reliable

techniques

to

provide

maximumstrength.
All components of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are designed with structural safety margins
40% above the expected flight loads, higher than the 25% margin that has become the
standardintheindustry.
ThefirststageusessubcooledLiquidOxygenoxidizerandchilledRocketPropellant1asfuel
whichishighlyrefinedKerosene.The10centimeterLOXfeedlineisroutedthroughthecenter
ofthefueltanktosupplyoxidizertotheengines.
Theexactdimensionsandmassofthecorestageareunknown,butcalculationsindicatethat
itiscapableofcarryingroughly409,500kgofpropellantswhenpropdensificationisemployed.
Thestageisabout41.2metersinlength(withoutinterstage),3.66metersindiameterandhas
anemptymassofabout24to27metrictons.
Falcon Heavy sports nine Merlin 1D engines on each of its cores. Compared to its 1C
predecessor,Merlin1Dusesimprovedmanufacturingandqualitycontroltechniquestoenable
SpaceXtoproduceagreaternumberofenginesperyearwhilereducingoverallrisk.TheM1D
design is simplified over the M1C by removing nolongerneeded subassemblies. Electro
plating of a nickelcobalt alloy on the chamber to create the jacket that endures the primary
stress of the pressure vessel was replaced by using an explosively formed metal jacket.
These changes provide the Merlin 1D with an increased fatigue life and greater thermal
margins for the chamber and nozzle which come into play when operating the M1D in an
enhancedsetting,herereferredtoasM1D+.
Merlin 1D is an opencycle gas generator engine. The gas generator operates fuelrich,
burning a small fraction of the LOX and RP1 flow from the turbopumps to generate a hot
highpressure gas that drives a single turbine with the two turbopumps being driven by a
single shaft. Highpressure RP1 from the fuel turbopump is used in the hydraulic actuators
thatgimbaltheninemainenginesforthrustvectorcontrol.Generatorgasflowsthroughaheat
exchangerwhichheatsupHeliumgasfortankpressurizationinflightbeforethegeneratorgas
isbeingdumpedoverboardthroughanexhaust.
TheKeroseneflowfromthepumpisdirectedtothecombustionchamberandnozzlewhereit
passes through heat exchangers as part of the regenerative cooling scheme of the engine.
Afterpassingthroughtheheatexchangers,thefuelispumpedintothecombustionchamber
whereitcomesintocontactwiththeoxidizer.
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TheFalcon

FalconSpeed

FalconAir

NASASpaceFlight

Merlin 1D+
operates at
a

high

chamber
pressure of
over
110bar to
generate a
sea

level

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thrustofup
to

845

Photo:SpaceX
Kilonewtons(86,200kgf)andavacuumthrustof914kN(93,200kgf)givingFalconHeavya
totalliftoffthrustof22,819kN(2,327,000kgf),risingto24,681kN(2,468,000kgf)invacuum.
Merlin 1D+ as part of its initial performance enhancement was operated at a sea level
thrustof756kNandavacuumthrustof825kN.Thethrottlesettingontheenginewillberaised
in2016basedontheperformanceofthelauncherinitsinitialmissionsanddeltaqualification
testingconductedwiththerevisedperformanceparameters.
VehiclecontrolisprovidedbygimbalingthenineMerlinengineswhenthecorestageisonits
own,theouterboosterscanalsoindividuallygimbaltheirengines.
Theenginehasanincreasedexpansionratioof16whiletheM1Cenginehadanexpansion
ratioof14.5.Atamassof470Kilograms,Merlin1Dachievesathrusttoweightratioof198
thehighestthrusttoweightratiointheliquidfueledengineworld.Merlin1Dusesapyrophoric
mixtureofTriethylaluminiumTriethylborane(TEATEB)asigniterwhichisinjectedintothegas
generator and combustion chamber to initiate the combustion process that is sustained as
LOX and RP1 flows into the GG/Chamber once turbopumps spin up, initially using high
pressureheliumforspinup.
Also,theenginehasadeepthrottlingcapabilitywhichallowsFalcontoflyaflexiblemission
profile. The baselined throttle capability ranges from 55 to 100% of rated performance,
however, there are strong indications that M1D can throttle down to 40%. To facilitate the
propulsive return of the cores, a subset the Merlin 1D engines of the first stage feature
onboardreignitionsystemstobefiredseveraltimesinflight.

Merlin 1D Engine Flight Qualication Test

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Allthreecoresofthe
FalconHeavyfeature
the

Octaweb

engine arrangement.
Eight engines are
arrangedinacircle
clustered around a
single Merlin 1D in
the center that is
installed

slightly

lower with its nozzle

protrudingtheothers.
Photo:SpaceX

The gas generator

exhaust pipes of the

individualenginesinstalledontheperimeterofthefirststagearearrangedtowardtheinboard
direction, their flow passing through the gap between the center and the outer engines,
transportingexcessheatoutoftheenginecompartment.
Theskinofthelauncheristheprimaryloadpathforthelaunchvehicleandarrangingmostof
theenginesontheperimeteroftheskineliminatesalotofstructurethatneedstobeinstalled
to carry loads from the engines to the skin. The original tictactoe engine pattern required
theseloadtransferringstructures,addingtotheoverallmassofthevehicle.Thenewengine
arrangementalsoimprovesthermalpropertiesasitavoidshotspots.
Just like the
Falcon 9, FH
provides
engineout
capability for a
large portion of
its first stage
flight. All 27
engines

are

ignited on the
ground, about
three seconds
before launch.
All must reach
operational
Photo:SpaceX

conditions and
liftoff thrust for
the

launch

release
commandtobe
issued.
The

engines

are monitored
constantly
flight

in
and

computers can
Photo:SpaceX

shut down any

engine at any

timetopreventRUD(rapidunplanneddisassembly).Followingtheunplannedshutdownofan
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engine,theflightcomputerwouldreplantheascenttrajectorytoreachthecutofftargetwith
theremainingenginesbyextendingtheirburnandpotentiallycuttingaboosterreturn,forgoing
reusabilitytoensuresuccessoftheprimarymission.
Flying9MerlinenginespercoreprovidesengineoutcapabilityanditalsoallowsMerlin1Dto
quickly build up flight heritage as each mission provides performance data on 27 engines
insteadofasingleenginethatcompetinglaunchersareusing.Thecorestageandboosters
are equipped with a coldgas Reaction Control System using Nitrogen for threeaxis control
duringcoastphasesandduringsingleengineburns.
EachoftheFalconHeavycoresemployanSBandcommunicationssystemtotransmit3,000
channelsofperformancetelemetrythroughouttheflightandafterstageseparation.Thecores
are equipped with a Flight Termination System consisting of two strings of transmitters,
receiversandsafeandarmdevices.TheFTSworkswithCBandCommunicationsandcan
beusedtoterminatetheflightincaseofanymajoranomalies.FalconHeavyhasautonomous
flightterminationcapabilitiestriggeredbysignificantsystemsdamage,mostlikelyemployinga
breakwire type system. Flight termination is accomplished by splitting open the propellant
tanksofthevehicle,renderingtherocketnonpropulsive.
The cores are
equipped with
a

triple

redundantflight
control system
as well as a
navigation
platform using
GPS

and

Inertial
Measurement
Units

to

be

used

during

flight

in

Photo:SpaceX

cooperationwiththemainflightcomputeronthesecondstageandastheprimarycontroller
duringthedescenttowardsthelandingsite.
Thecorestageisconnectedtothesecondstageviaacarbonfiberaluminumcorecomposite
structureactingasinterstageadapter,housingtheMVacengineofthesecondstageaswell
asfirststagehydraulicsequipmentfortheGridFinSystemandthecoldgasattitudecontrol
system. The interstage has to carry the entire weight of the second stage and spacecraft.
Stage separation is accomplished via separation collets and pneumatic pushers in four
interfacesconnectingthetwostages.SpaceXtriestoavoidusingpyrotechnicsforseparation
events. A fourth pusher interface was added to make the separation between stages more
reliable.
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HeavyLiftShip

HeavyVehicle

Falcon 9-Reusable (F9-R) 1st Stage Firing

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Merlin 1D Performance
Enhancement
SpaceX

is

attempting to get
the most possible
performance out of
the Falcon Heavy
launch

system

without significant
design changes to
the launch vehicle
itself.

Increasing

performance of the
launcherleadstoa
greater

payload

capability

or

greater margin for

the

propulsive

return of the first

stage, either to the
launch site or the
Autonomous
Photo:SpaceX

Spaceport

Drone

Ship depending on

theenergyrequirementsofthespecificmission.
Usingimprovedmanufacturingtechniquesandmaterials,theMerlin1Denginewasdeveloped
with a great margin in operational conditions and a high degree of durability which would
enable the engine to operate at higher thrust levels, pressures and temperatures than
originallyenvisioned.Ina2013pressbriefing,SpaceXCEOElonMuskstatedthatMerlin1D,
at the time, was being operated at around 85% of its potential and work was underway to
certifytheFullThrustsettingoftheengineforflight.Developmentandcertificationtestingof
the original Merlin 1D finished in mid2012 and the engine flew for the first time in 2013.
Testing of the engine at full thrust began afterwards followed by qualification testing in the
summerof2015.
Perhaps

SpaceX

was

already

looking

toward

Falcon

Heavy

whendesigningthe
Merlin

1D

for

operation at this
increased
setting.

thrust
Running

the engine at a
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greater propellant
mass flow rate will
lead to a higher
chamber pressure
and

chamber

temperature,
increasing

the

overall stress on
the engine which
has

been

accounted for in
the initial design of
theMerlin1D.
A further increase

Photo:SpaceX

in Merlin 1D thrust
was revealed by
Elon Musk in late
April

2016.

AccordingtoMusk,
good performance
of the engine in its
first missions and
deltaqualification
testing will allow
SpaceX to further
raise the engines
performance,

Photo:NASA

currently expected
atsomepointin2016.
ThelatestnumberspublishedontheperformanceoftheFullThrustversionoftheMerlin1D
engine specify a sea level thrust of 845 Kilonewtons, representing a 24% increase over the
initialM1Dversionandan11%overthefirstM1D+runningat756kN.Invacuumconditions,
theMerlin1D+enginedelivers914Kilonewtonsofthrust.
ThesenumbersfurthercementMerlin1Dspositionasthemostpowerfulengineeverbuiltin
termsofThrusttoWeightRatio.TheimprovedMerlin1DVacuumengineusesanextended
nozzle design and achieves a thrust of 935 Kilonewtons, representing a 17% increase in
thrust. (Additional specifications and details on the Merlin 1D engine can be found in the
sectionsbelow.)
UsingthisengineontheFalcon9rocketleadstomorelaunchthrust,buttoaccommodatethe
greaterpropellantmassflowrateandachievethedesiredincreaseinperformance,therocket
needs to launch with a greater propellant mass which can either be achieved by further
expandingthetanksordensifyingthepropellants.Becausethedimensionsofthefirststageof
Falcon9wasmaxedoutwiththeupgradetotheFalcon9v1.1,SpaceXdecidedtoimplement
propellantdensification.

Propellant Densication
To accommodate the
more powerful Merlin
1Denginesrunningat
theirfullthrustsetting,
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Falcon

Heavy

employs

propellant

densification and a
change in tank sizes
to increase the mass
of propellants it can
hold.Theperformance
gained

by

Falcon

Heavy arises from

increasing the total
propellant mass in
both stages for an
improved

propellant

mass fraction and a

longerburntime.
ViewintoSecondStageLOXTank,partiallyemptyPhoto:SpaceX
Elon Musk stated that
propellantdensificationcapabilitywouldbeaddedtoallSpaceXlaunchfacilitiesandallFalcon
Heavymissionswillrelyondensification.Densifyingpropellantsispossiblethroughcooling
increasingthemassthancanbeloadedintothelimitedtankvolumeofthelauncher.
NASAstudieshaveshownthatLOXdensificationcanincreasetheoxidizermassby8to15%
comparedtoboilingpointLOXat183C.
CoolingLOXbelow
its boiling point is
possible
the

through

use

of

Nitrogen subcooler
that

employs

Liquid
bath

Nitrogen
(either

at

point

or

boiling

subcooled)
through which the
LOX

lines

are

runningtoallowan
exchangeofheat.
SpaceX

employs

LOX

at

LOSDensityasaFunctionofTemperatureCredit:NASA

temperatureofapproximately207C,about10CabovetheOxygenTriplePointachievedby
running the LOX through a Nitrogen bath that is kept at a partial vacuum to decrease its
temperature to nearly N2 ice temperature. This will yield an increase in LOX density from
1.134gramspercubiccentimetertonearly1.23g/cmwhilestillmaintainingtheLOXbelowits
freezing point and slush density of 1,338g/cm. Cooling the LOX to this temperature point
yieldsadensityincreaseofaround8%.
OperationallaunchersthatemploysubcooledLOXareAntares(initsoriginalversion,using
LOX at 196C) and Soyuz 21v (192C LOX), but in these cases, subcooled LOX is/was
requiredduetothedesignoftheengine.
Cooling the fuel,
RocketPropellant1
(Kerosene), is also
possible, although
its high freezing
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temperature

of

approximately

37C and changes

in viscosity as a
function

of

temperature
represent
limitations

when

cooling the fuel.

SpaceX chills the
RP1 from ambient
temperature down
to
Photo:SpaceX

approximately

7C

where

viscosity does not

yetaffectthepropertiesofthefuel,butachievesanincreaseindensityaround2.5to4%.
BecauseofthedifferentdensificationpossibleforLOXandRP1,anadjustmentoftanksizes
on the rocket is necessary to keep the Oxidizer to Fuel ratio required by the Merlin 1D
engines.
This is accomplished by shortening the LOX tank on the first stage and stretching the RP1
tankwhileretainingtheoriginalfirststagelength.Stretchingthefirststagebeyondthelength
of the v1.1 first stage is not possible due to bending forces occurring in flight. Widening the
diameterofthestagesisalsonooptionbecauseoftherequirementofroadtransport,putting
a limit on the maximum diameter. The second stage of Falcon Heavy accommodates the
requiredchangeinRP1volumebystretchingthestage.

Falcon Heavy Boosters

Photo:SpaceX
Type

FalconHeavyBooster

Length*

44.6m

Diameter

3.66m

http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/falconheavy/

Like the Delta

IV and Angara,
Falcon

Heavy

aims to reduce
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FalconHeavyRockets

InertMass*

22,500kg

complexityinits

PropellantMass*

409,500kg

design by using

Fuel

RocketPropellant1

Oxidizer

LiquidOxygen

between

LOXMass*

286,400kg

core stage and

RP1Mass*

123,100kg

LOXTank

as

much

commonality

the

its

strapon

boosters

as

Monocoque

possible.

For

RP1Tank

Stringer&RingFrame

Delta IV and

Material

AluminumLithium

Guidance

From2ndStage

the

TankPressurization

HeatedHelium

dimension

Angara,

the

boosters

are
same
as

the core, only

Propulsion

9xMerlin1D+

EngineArrangement

Octaweb

aerodynamic

EngineType

GasGenerator,OpenCycle

caps

using
and

attachment

PropellantFeed

Turbopump

M1D+Thrust(100%)

SeaLevel:845kNVac:914kN

that make them

EngineDiameter

~1.0m

different

EngineDryWeight

470kg

BurnTime*

162s

an initial design

SpecificImpulse

282s(SL)311s(Vac)[forM1D]

called for the

ChamberPressure

>110bar

ExpansionRatio

16

ThrottleCapability

55%to100%(PossiblyDeeper)

more

RestartCapability

Yes(Partial)

propellants,

Ignition

TEATEB

AttitudeControl

GimbaledEngines(pitch,yaw,roll)

dropped

ColdGasNitrogenRCS

favor of one

4GridFins

mechanisms
from

the core. For

Falcon Heavy,

boosters to be
stretched

in

order to hold

however,

this

design

was
in

corelengthwith
the

Shutdown

CommandedShutdown

difference

StageSeparation

ThrustStruts,RCS

between
booster

only

and

core stage being the thrust structure that needs to be stronger on the core since it has to
acceptthethrustloadsfromthetwinboosters.
TheboostersofFalconHeavysharethe3.66meterdiameterofthecorestagewhichallows
thesametoolsandtechniquestobeusedinthemanufacturingprocessofthetanks.Eachof
theboosters,toppedwitha3.4mcompositecap,isapproximately44.6metersinlengthand
weighsaround432metrictons(est)whenfullyfueledforlaunch.Theboosterseachusenine
Merlin 1D engines also arranged in an Octaweb pattern and each core is outfitted with
independent Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems with communication paths between
thecomputersofthecentralcoreandtheboosterstoallowthemainflightcomputerstoissue
commandstotheboostersandseparationsystems.
Atopeachoftheboosterssitsanoseconemanufacturedfromcompositematerialstokeepits
weightataminimum.Thefourgridfinsoftheboostersareinstalledintheuppermostportion
of the propellant tank structures, matching up in height with the fins of the central core that
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have been modified, switching positions from the Interstage to the uppermost section of the
corestage.Eachboosterhasitsownnitrogencoldgasreactioncontrolsystemandiscapable
ofexecutinganautonomousreturntothelaunchsitetobereused.
Theboostersareattachedtothecentralcorestageviastructuralinterfacesintheaftsection
and interfaces that connect the upper portion of the boosters to the interstage area of the
Falcon Heavy via thrust struts to transfer loads to the vehicle. Separation of the boosters is
accomplishedusingcolletsinthestructuralinterfaces,avoidingtheuseofpyrotechnicssince
SpaceXpreferstousesystemsthatcanbetestedandreused.Thereactioncontrolsystemof
theboostersensuresacleanseparationfromthecorestage.

Image:SpaceX

Throttle-Down vs. Crossfeed

When Falcon Heavy
was

initially

announced,oneofits
biggest
was

innovations
to

be

propellant crossfeed
capability

between

the boosters and the

central

core.

The

design

called

for

propellant lines being

routed through the
interfaces
cores,
Image:SpaceX

of

the

delivering

propellants from the

oxidizer
manifolds

and

fuel

of

the

boosterstoanumber
of engines on the
core, allowing these
engines to consume
propellant from the
booster tanks and
leaving the tanks of
the

central

core

nearly full until the

point of separation
when

interfaces

wouldbeisolatedand
Photo:SpaceX

supply switch to the

core

http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/falconheavy/

stages

own
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tanks.
ThisfeaturewasputonthebackburnerandSpaceXdecidedtointroducetheFalconHeavy
withoutoperationalcrossfeedsystemusingapartialthrustmodeonthecorestagetoallowit
to save propellants that can be consumed beyond the burn of the side boosters. This
procedure is also used by Delta IV Heavy and the Angara family, eliminating the additional
mass of a crossfeed system that would only be required on flights with extremely heavy
payloads.Inanominalflightscenario,FalconHeavywouldtakeoffwithallofitsMerlin1D+
enginesatfullthrottle.Aftertheinitialclimb,thecentralcorewouldthrottleitsenginesdownto
aminimalthrustinordertosavepropellantswhiletheboosterscontinuetofireatfullthrust.
The two boosters would burn for roughly 195 seconds before separating from the core to
begintheirjourneybacktothelaunchsite.Continuingpoweredascent,thecorewouldthrottle
upitsenginesandburnforjustoveraminutetocontinueboostingthevelocityofthestack,
achieving a much higher speed than any previous Falcon cores which makes its recovery
moredifficultgivenitsmuchgreaterenergyatseparation.
SpaceXisstillpressingaheadwiththedevelopmentoftheCrossfeedCapabilitytobeusedon
particular challenging missions with LEO payloads of over 45 metric tons or equivalent
payloadstodifferentorbits.

Re-Usable Falcon Heavy

Reusability of space
launch vehicles is
one of the biggest
goals of SpaceX and
FalconHeavyaimsto
become

the

partially

first

reusable

superheavy

lift

launcher. Like Falcon

9, FH will return its
three cores to the
ground through

series of propulsive

Image:SpaceX

maneuvers, a guided
flight

through

the

atmosphere and a
soft landing on four
deployable

landing

legs either on land

using a flat landing
pad to be built near
the launch site or on
the

Autonomous

Spaceport
Ship

Drone

inaugurated

Image:SpaceX

duringtheinitialtests
of returning Falcon 9
boosters to an on
targetlanding.
The overall goal is to
get the rocket stages
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back to the launch

site to avoid the cost
of

having

them

returned by ship or
other

means

transportation.
boostback

of
This

to

the

launchsiteisfeasible
for the two outer
cores that separate
from

the

launch

vehicle at a much

Image:SpaceX

lowerenergythanthe
central core. Continuing powered flight, the core stage reaches a high energy that would
cause a large payload penalty due to the additional fuel required for the boost back to the
launchsite.
Therefore, SpaceX will keep operating the drone ships (one for the east coast, one for
Vandenberg launches and potentially another one for the Brownsville launch site) for the
returnofthecorestages.SpaceXwasalsolookingintothepossibilityofrefuelingthecoreson
thelandingplatformandhavingthemflybacktolandundertheirownenginepower.
Inanoperationalscenario,FalconHeavywouldblastoffandburnitstwoouterboostersfor
closetothreeminutesbeforethetwoboostersseparateandbegintheirjourneybacktothe
launchsite.Immediately,thetwoboosterswouldrotatetoanenginesfirstpositionandmake
theirwaytoapogeefortheboostbackburnthatwoulduseasubsetoftheMerlin1Dengines.
This boost back would reverse the downrange velocity and allow the boosters to begin
travelingbacktothelaunchsite.Passingthrough70Kilometersinaltitude,theboosterswould
ignitethreeoftheirenginesforthereentryburnthatservestwopurposesstartingtoslow
theboosterdownandprovidingprotectiontotheenginecompartmentfromtheaerodynamic
reentryenvironment.Falcon9reentryburnshadatypicaldurationof19seconds.
Beginningtheirdescentthroughtheatmosphere,theboosterswoulddeployfourgridfinsfor
precisesteering.
The four grid fins are
launchedinaposition
stowed against the
uppermost section of
the booster near the
nose

cone

before

being deployed when

Falcon reenters the
atmosphere. The four
fins

can

be

individually controlled
in a twodegree of
freedom type design,
rotating and tilting at
the
Falcon9withGridFinsPhoto:SpaceX

same

time,

allowing for complex

guidance and control

duringatmosphericflight.
The fins are an essential part of Falcons return sequence to provide control in atmospheric
flightwithoutactivepropulsion.Gridfinshavebeenwidelyusedasastabilizeronmissiles&
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bombs and are shaped like miniature wings consisting of a lattice structure. The Russian
Soyuz employs gridfins in its launch abort system which would deploy when the launch
escape rockets start firing in an abort scenario to stabilize the vehicle, but the fins used by
SpaceX take it one step further as they can be moved independently to actively control the
vehiclesflightandnotonlyactasastabilizer.
Gridfinsperformwell
in all velocity ranges
including supersonic
and subsonic speeds
with the exception of
the

transsonic

regime due to the

shock

wave

enveloping the grid.

These

properties

make them ideally

Photo:SpaceX

suitable

for

Falcon

the

booster

stages that start out

at supersonic speeds
and

return

to

subsonic velocity as
they travel through
the atmosphere, en
route to the landing
site.Thefourfinsare
rotated

and

tilted

independently by an
open
Image:SpaceX

system

hydraulic
that

uses

pressurized hydraulic
fluid supplied from a
pressurized tank that
is dumped overboard
after flowing through
the

hydraulic

actuators of the fin

system. The design
was also driven by
overall

mass

considerations.
Image:SpaceX

The addition of the

grid

fins

was

expectedtoimprovetheaccuracyofFalconslandingbythreeordersofmagnitudeprevious
landing attempts in the ocean had a tenKilometer targeting accuracy while the return to a
platformorapadonlandrequiresthestagetolandwithinafewmetersofitsbullseyetarget.
Headingbackin,theboosterswouldmakefinalcorrectionstotheirflightpath,modifyingtheir
pitch trim to precisely target their landing site. Around 28 seconds prior to touchdown, the
center engine of the booster is reignited for the final landing burn. With a limited throttle
range, the Center engine will generate a thrust that is greater than the mass of the stage.
Landing at a thrust to weight ratio greater than one requires the stages to calculate their
propulsivelandingmaneuverinawaythatthatreachesaminimumvelocitywhencominginto
contact with the ground. Falcons boosters are targeting to land at a velocity of less than 6
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meterspersecond.
Tensecondspriortotouchdown,thefourlandinglegsoftheboosterwoulddeploy.Theoverall
designdriverforthelandinglegswasmasssinceaddingsignificantweighttothefirststage
would have resultedinasignificantpayloadpenalty.Safetywasalsoamajorconcern the
legdesignhadtobesuchthatnoprematuredeploymentduringpoweredascentwaspossible
whichwouldresultinacertainlossoftheentirevehicleandpayload.
Made of aluminum honeycomb and carboncomposite materials, the four legs have a total
mass of around 2,100 Kilograms consisting of a singleload bearing strut and aerodynamic
fairingassembly.Thecentralstrutsofthelegsinterfacewiththeloadcarryingstructureofthe
first stage while the fairings have two structural interfaces at the base of the engine
compartmentheatshieldandoneinterfaceonthelowerportionoftheleg
Duringflight,thelegsarestowedagainsttherocketbody,coveredbythefairingsthatensure
noadditionalaerodynamicdisturbanceisintroducedbythelegs.Deploymentisaccomplished
byapneumaticsystemusinghighpressurehelium.Whendeployed,thelegshaveaspanof
about18meters,capableofsupportingtheforcesoflandingandthemassofthenearlyempty
booster.

Images:SpaceX
SpaceX

has

secured
properties

at

Cape Canaveral
and Vandenberg
AirForceBaseto
be

used

booster

as

landing

facilities. At Cape
Canaveral,
SpaceX signed a
fiveyear lease of
Launch Complex
13 in February
2015.

An

animation of the
Falcon

Heavy

flight

profile

Image:SpaceX

showsaconceptualizedrepresentationofLC13.Fiveindividualflatlandingpadsareseenin
the animation with four smaller auxiliary pads and one larger central pad. The two boosters
usetwoofthesmallerpads,landingwithinsecondsofeachotheraftermakingtheirpropulsive
returnfromtheedgeofspace.
LC13 at CCAFS has been in operation from 1958 to 1978 supporting the Atlas launcher
family with notable LC13 launches including Lunar Orbiter 1 and a number of Atlas Agena
launchvehicles.Thelaunchpadwasnotinusefornearlythreedecadesandhaditsmobile
servicetowerdemolishedin2005followedbythedemolitionoftheblockhousein2012.LC13
willbeusedtoreturnFalconstageslaunchingfromSLC40andLC39.
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AtVandenbergAirForceBase,SpaceXhasprocuredSpaceLaunchComplex4Wforbooster
landingswithSLC4EservingasFalcon9andFalconHeavylaunchpad.
SLC4Wwasactiveforoverfourdecadesstartingin1963,supportingAtlasAgenamissions
beforebeingconvertedfortheTitanIIlaunchvehicles.Intotal,SLC4Wsawover90launches
before becoming inactiveafterthelastTitan23Glaunchin2003.In2014,thecomplex was
handed to SpaceX and the demolition of existing structures including the Mobile Service
Tower started in September 2014. The finished landing facility will likely look very similar to
thatatCapeCanaveral.
Due to the central
core stage of Falcon
Heavy

continuing

onwards

after

boosterseparation,it
faces a much higher
speed

when

separating from the

second

stage.

return to the launch

site would require a
considerable amount
of propellant leading
to a large payload
penalty.

Therefore,

SpaceX will keep

using

the

Autonomous
Spaceport

Drone

Ships that will be

stationed downrange

Photo:SpaceX

from the launch site

to welcome the core
stages.

The

downrange distance
ofthedroneshipwill
depend

on

the

surplus of propellant
that is available for
anactiveboostback.
Known

as

the

Autonomous
Spaceport

Drone

Photo:SpaceX

Ship, the floating

landingplatformwasbuiltataLouisianashipyardandmeasures91metersby52meterswith
aprominentSpaceXmarkstheSpotlogointhecenter.Theshipsportsfourdieselpowered
azimuth thrusters similar to those on oil rigs provided by Thrustmaster, a marine
equipmentmanufacturerthatalsoprovidedpowermodulesandcontrolstooutfittheshipwith
a Portable Dynamic Positioning System. Processing GPS data, the Autonomous Spaceport
Drone Ship will be able to keep its assigned position with an impressive accuracy of three
meters.
AhighaccuracyisrequiredsinceFalconwillhavetolandontheplatformwithallfourofits
legsthatspanapproximately18meters,leavingjustover30metersforGPSerrorsbetween
the two craft and position errors of the drone ship, sea swell as well as errors by Falcon,
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makingitsfastpacedhoverslamlandingunderthepowerofoneofitsnineMerlin1Dengines
withathrusttoweightratiogreaterthanone.
TheASDSisoutfittedwithawaterdelugesystemthatdumpswaterontothedecktoprotectit
fromtheheatoftheengineofthearrivingbooster.Numerousattachmentfixturesarepartof
thedeckstructurethatwouldallowthesecuringofthefirststageafterlandingontheplatform
forthereturntoportandrefurbishment.
Flyingasfullyexpendablelaunchvehicle,FalconHeavycoulddeliver21,200Kilogramstoa
standardGeostationaryTransferOrbit.Withfullreusabilityonallthreecores,thelauncherwill
only be able to put seven metric tons into GTO which is still within the mass range of the
heaviest commercial communications satellites. Only returning the boosters and flying the
centralcoreasexpendableboosterwillincreaseGTOcapabilitywellovertenmetrictons.

Second Stage

Image:SpaceX

Falcon
Heavy
uses a

Photo:SpaceX
Type

Falcon9FTStage2

Length*

14.3m

Diameter

3.66m

http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/falconheavy/

standardFalcon
9 FT second
stage,

also

employing
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InertMass*

4,000kg

propellant

PropellantMass*

107,500kg

densification to

Fuel

RocketPropellant1

Oxidizer

LiquidOxygen

LOXMass*

75,200kg

RP1Mass*

32,300kg

stagesharesits

LOXTank

Monocoque

diameter

optimize launch
vehicle
performance.
The

second
with

the first stage

RP1Tank

Monocoque

Material

AluminumLithium

architectureand

Guidance

Inertial

tank structures

TankPressurization

HeatedHelium

Propulsion

1xMerlin1DVac+

tankdomesand

EngineType

GasGenerator

walls. SpaceX

PropellantFeed

Turbopump

Thrust

and a similar

with

identical

construction of

has

always

followed

934kN(M1D+)

policy

of

EngineDryWeight

490kg

choosingsimple

BurnTime

397s

SpecificImpulse

>340s(Est:~345s)

risk in order to

ChamberPressure

>110bar

manufacture a

ExpansionRatio

>117

ThrottleCapability

Yes

RestartCapability

Yes

Ignition

TEATEB,Redundant

Pitch,YawControl

GimbaledEngine

RollControl

ReactionControlSystem

the two stages

Shutdown

CommandedShutdown

is

ReactionControlS.

ColdGasNitrogenThrusters

solutions

to

reducecostand

robust

launch

system. Using
the

same

materials, tools
and
manufacturing
techniques for
a

perfect

example of that
policy.

ThetanksarebuiltusingAluminumLithiumMonocoquestructureforbothtanks.
Aswiththefirststage,theexactdimensionsofthesecondstagehavenotbeendisclosedby
SpaceX. The second stage matches the first stages diameter of 3.66 meters. It is
approximately14.3metersinlengthwithoutpayloadadapterand1stStageInterstagewithan
inertmassofaroundfourmetrictons.Thesecondstagecanholdapproximately75,200kgof
LOXand32,300kgofRP1givingitalaunchmassof~111,500kg.
Subcooled LOX and chilled Rocket Propellant 1 are also used by the second stage. The
difference in densification of LOX and RP1 requires the Falcon 9 v1.1 second stage RP1
tanktobestretchedinordertokeepuptheOx.toFuelratiorequiredbytheengine.
One Merlin 1D Vac engine is powering the second stage, also operating at its full thrust
setting. This engine differs from the first stage engines as it is optimized for operation in
vacuum featuring an extended nozzle with a high expansion ratio. Compared to the original
M1D design, the M1D+ Vac has an even longer nozzle. It also is a turbopumpfed gas
generatorengine,operatingatachamberpressureofover110bar.
Usinganextendednozzlecreatesahighexpansionratioofgreaterthan117:1.M1DVachas
a high specific impulse of 340s that could be as high as 345s. It generates a total vacuum
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thrustof934Kilonewtons(95,250Kilograms).Theenginecansupportmultipleignitionstobe
able to fly a flexible mission profile in order to reach a variety of orbits and trajectories. The
secondstageTEATEBignitionsystemisfullyredundant.
SecondStageBurntimeisvariablewithnominalfiringsof~420seconds.
The second stage is equipped with a Reaction Control System for three axiscontrol during
coastphasesandrollcontrolduringburns.TheFalcon9FTusesacoldgasattitudecontrol
systememployinganumberofNitrogenthrustersthatcansupportextendedmissiondurations
tohighenergytrajectories.
The second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket facilitates the avionics and flight computers that
controlallaspectsoftheflight.TheavionicsoftheFalcon9featureanumberofchangesand
upgradesfromthev1.0tothev1.1/FTversion.Allavionicsandcontrollersaremanufactured
inhousebySpaceX.Thesystemisfullyredundant,constantlycheckingitselftoverifythatall
GNC components are functioning properly. SpaceX uses commercial offtheshelf parts that
areradiationtolerantinsteadofradiationhardened(costreduction).Theflightcomputersrun
onLinuxwithsoftwarewritteninC++.

Images:SpaceX

AvionicsaretripleredundantandtherocketsinertialnavigationsystemusesGPSoverlayfor
additionalorbitalinsertionaccuracy.
In addition to the main avionics units of the launch vehicle, each of the Merlin Engines is
equipped with three processing units in a single engine controller. The engine controller
monitorsallparametersoftheengineandinterfaceswiththemainavionicsunits.Eachofthe
threeprocessingunitsareconstantlycheckingontheotherstoprovidefaulttolerance.

MerlinEngineControllerPhoto:SpaceX

Payload Fairing
ThePayloadFairingispositionedontop
of the stacked vehicle and its integrated
spacecraft.Itprotectsthevehicleagainst
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aerodynamic, thermal and acoustic

environments

that

the

launcher

experiences during atmospheric flight.

When the launcher has left the
atmosphere, the fairing is jettisoned.
Separating the fairing as early as
possibleincreasesascentperformance.
Falcon 9s standard Fairing is 13.1
meters in length and 5.2 meters in
diameter. The fairing consists of an
aluminum honeycomb core with carbon
fiber face sheets fabricated in two half
shells.Separationis accomplishedvia a
pneumatic system along the vertical
seamthatpushesthetwohalvesapart.
Up to three spacecraft access doors or
Radio Frequency Windows can be
supported by the fairing. A small 3.6
meterfairingisalsobeingdeveloped.

Payload Adapters

Photo:SpaceX
PayloadFairing

CompositeFairing

Diameter

5.2m

Length

13.1m

Weight

~1,750kg

PayloadAdaptersinterfacewiththevehicleandthe
payload and are the only attachment point of the
payload on the Launcher. They house equipment
that is needed for Spacecraft Separation and
ensurethatthepayloadissecuredduringpowered

flight. Electrical and Communication connections are also part of the Adapter and route
spacecraft Telemetry to the Flight Computers for downlink. A variety of different adapters is
availabletosuitedifferentspacecraftneedsandrequirements.
##############################

Parameters highlighted with an asterisk * are

estimated values.
Latest Propellant Mass Revision: Based on known LOX and RP1 Chill Temperatures and
calculateddensificationrates.Assumestotaltankvolumeonfirststagetoremainunchanged
from v1.1 to FH (published in FAA documentation) and second stage volume increase
consistentwitha0.5mstretch.SecondstagepropmassrevisedbasedonSES9performance
data.

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