FALCON 9 LAUNCH photo credit: spacex U.S. Air Force has certified SpaceX...
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FALCON 9 LAUNCH photo credit: spacex |
The three certification flights were completed last year, one in September and two in December.
SpaceX hopes to have its Falcon 9 rocket certified for military launches before the end of the year.
Certification requirements for the Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket include at least three successful flights of a common launch vehicle configuration, as well as passing a number of technical reviews, audits and independent verification, and validation of the launch vehicle's ground systems and manufacturing processes.
Spacex Falcon 9 family consists, Falcon 9 v1.0, Falcon 9 v1.1, and the Falcon 9-R launch vehicles. Both stages of these two-stage vehicles are powered by rocket engines that burn liquid oxygen(LOX) and rocket-grade kerosene(RP-1) propellants.
The first version of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle, Falcon 9 v1.0, was developed in 2005–2010, and was launched for the first time in 2010. Falcon 9 v1.0 made five flights in 2010–2013, after which it was retired.
The Falcon 9 v1.1 was developed in 2010-2013, and launched for the first time in September 2013.
The current Falcon 9v1.1 can lift payloads of 13,150 kgs to low Earth orbit, and 4,850 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit.
EELV program is intended to assure access to space for U.S. national security payloads and is projected to cost nearly $70 billion through 2030.
SpaceX in April has sued U.S. Air Force for awarding EELV contract to United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, on a sole source basis without any competition. The long-term contract, guarantees the purchase of 36 rocket cores from ULA. USAF has also put the remaining 14 cores for open competition.
