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Falcon 9 (SpaceX) - Science Feed

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Hey, this is Science Feed, and this post is about Falcon 9, one of the most advanced rockets in the world.
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Falcon 9 is the first reusable orbital-class rocket that can be used more than once. SpaceX has designed and developed it for payload transfer to Earth orbit and space. Over the time period of 10 years, Falcon 9 has been launched 85 times, in which 46 launches were able to land. Due to its capability of landing, SpaceX has saved costly parts of the rocket. This rocket uses rocket grade kerosene (RP-1, it is cheaper but less explosion hazardous fuel, which is a highly pure form of kerosene) as its fuel and liquid oxygen as an oxidizer. 

In 2007, SpaceX started the development of Falcon 9 which was boosted by the funds provided by NASA.
From the estimation made by NASA revealed that the total cost of development of Falcon1 and Falcon 9 was approximately 390 million US $. The owner of SpaceX, Elon Musk, has also thanked a lot for unparalleled help given by NASA and NASA COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation Services).
Initially, it was announced that Falcon 9 will be able of lifting around 21,000 LB and heavy version of Falcon 9 around 55,000 lb.

In December 2010, the production line was able to manufacture about one Falcon 9 rocket per three months. SpaceX also planned to increase the production rate to 40 rocket cores (Rocket core is a processor). 

Overview
Falcon 9 has got a total height of 70 m or 229,6 ft. It has a diameter of 3.7 m or 12ft. The mass is around 549,054 kg or 1,207,920 lb.
The first stage part has height of 41.2 m or 135.2 ft. With propellent, it has mass of 395,700 kg. Without propellent, it has mass of 25,600 kg.
The second stage has got height of 13.8 m or 45.3 ft. With propellent, it has mass of 92,670 kg. Without propellent, it has mass of 3.900 kg.

Engines
There are two stages in Falcon 9. In the first stage, there is a cluster of 9 Merlin Engines and in the second stage, there is a single Merlin engine used. Merlin is a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX for its launch vehicles. The propellent name is RP-1 and the single engine can produce thrust upto 845 kN or 190,000 lbf. The 9 Merlin engines can together produce upto 7,607 kN thrust at Earth's sea level while 8227 kN in vacuum. 
In second stage, the single Merlin engine gets burn time of 397 seconds which can produce thrust of around 981 kN or 220,500 lbf.


Conclusion
In conclusion, the Falcon 9 represents a significant milestone in space exploration, showcasing SpaceX's innovative approach to rocket design with its reusable orbital-class capability. Over a decade of development and launches, Falcon 9 has not only achieved remarkable success in payload delivery but also in cost efficiency through the reuse of its rocket parts. Powered by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, and equipped with advanced Merlin engines, Falcon 9 has proven to be a robust and reliable vehicle for space missions. Supported by NASA's funding and collaboration, SpaceX's Falcon 9 continues to advance space technology, setting new benchmarks in the aerospace industry.



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