Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Space Exploration Technologies CorporationSpacex.com
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
SpaceX Summary
Founded in mid 2002 with the singular goal of providing high reliability, low cost space transportation
Initial target market is government & commercial satellites to minimize market risk
Transition to human transportation once technology is proven Silicon Valley mode of operation – flat hierarchy, high
engineer to manager ratio, rapid prototype iteration, best idea wins
270 employees Six buildings (100,000 sqft) of office and manufacturing
space in Southern California 300 acre propulsion and structural test facility in Texas Launch complexes in Kwajalein, Vandenberg, and Cape
Canaveral In less than 5 years, what have we achieved?
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
SpaceX Highlights
Executed 2 Demonstration Falcon 1 flights and gathered enough data on the vehicle and supporting systems to comfortably move towards operational status
Numerous improvements made to the Falcon 1 vehicle, ground system and Quality processes based on first two demonstrations
Substantial progress on Falcon 9 and Dragon development Have 11 flights on the manifest
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
12 Launches on Manifest
Plus AF IDIQ Falcon I Contract
Customer Launch Vehicle Departure Point
FALCON Demo Launch 2 Q1 2007 Falcon I Kwajalein
OSD/NRL Tacsat-1 Q3 2007 Falcon I Kwajalein
Malaysia Razaksat Q4 2007 Falcon I Kwajalein
US Government Q3 2008 Falcon 9 Cape
MDA Corp Cassiope Q3 2008 Falcon 9 Cape
NASA COTS Q3 2008 Falcon 9 Cape
NASA COTS Q2 2009 Falcon 9 Cape
NASA COTS Q3 2009 Falcon 9 Cape
MDA Corp Argo Q3 2009 Falcon 1 Vandenberg
SpaceDev Q4 2009 Falcon 1 Vandenberg
Bigelow Aerospace Q4 2009 Falcon 9 Cape
Swedish Space Corp Q1 2010 Falcon 1 Vandenberg
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Falcon 1 Demo Flight 2
Second Demonstration of the Falcon 1 a near complete success for a test flight
Falcon 1 reached space Fastest recycle ever
demonstrated All major flight regime command
modes validated Validated first and second stage
propulsion Validated all vehicle structures Validated all vehicle avionics 289km altitude; 5.1 km/s Reduced pad acoustic
environments
Photos courtesy of USAKA
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Vehicle Development Path
Demo flights Merlin 1A ablative engine Kestrel-1 upperstage engine Skin/stringer fairing ~700 pounds to orbit
Next 3 flights De-tuned Merlin 1C Regen engine Kestrel-2 upperstage engine Skin/stringer fairing ~1200 pounds to orbit
2009—Falcon 1E Full Merlin 1C performance Longer first stage ~1800 pounds to orbit
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Falcon 1 Performance
Payload Performance from Kwajalein, Two Burns(Falcon I and Falcon Ie)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
0 20 40 60 80 100
Inclination (deg)
Pa
ylo
ad
Ma
ss
(k
g)
Falcon Ie - 200 km Falcon Ie - 500 km Falcon Ie - 700 km
Falcon I - 200 km Falcon I - 500 km Falcon I - 700 km
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Multi Payload Options--SpaceDev
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Multi Payload Options--SAT
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Multi Payload Options--MPE
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Payload Adapter & Fairing
Standard Payload Attachment Fitting (PAF) available
Mission-specific payload separation system
Payload Fairings
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Falcon Current and Planned Launch Sites
Falcon 1 Reagan Test Site SLC 3W at VAFB through 2008 Agreements in place (inactive)
for LC 46 at the Cape Falcon 9
Approval for LC 40 at the Cape Siting effort underway at RTS Formal request for SLC 4 at VAFB Discussions w/ Wallops and
Kodiak
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Integration & Launch Operations
2 week launch campaign Vertical Payload Encapsulation Rotate to horizontal for mating Conditioned air supplied to the fairing volume Post-mate payload/LV checkouts 2 hour fully automated countdown
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Standard Payload Services
Single POC including interface with the range/range safety
Standard mechanical and electrical I/F Definition of mission specific ground
and flight environments Analyses
Separation, clearance, 2 coupled loads, performance/trajectory
Launch Site Support Payload processing facilities in
environmentally controlled and monitored facility & fairing
Seats in the MCC and LCC Payload access 48 hours prior
Launch High availability GPS guided insertion for accuracy Low tip off rates Collision Avoidance Maneuver
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Demo 2 Launch Video
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
The NASA COTS Project
NASA is making an unprecedented co-investment in commercial space transportation services to create a competitive market for ISS flights
Limited resources and the space shuttle's pending retirement has created a favorable environment for COTS partnership
Through a Space Act Agreement with NASA, SpaceX will develop and demonstrate an in-space transportation system, Dragon
Three demonstration flights (late 2008-late 2009)—the third to approach and berth with the ISS
It is a safe bet: we only get paid when we accomplish a milestone
Other government organizations are interested in the project and the flexibility of the SpaceX solution
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
Spacex.com
Dragon—SpaceX’s COTS offeringCapable and cost effective host spacecraft(and you get your payload back)
Originally designed for crew/cargo Can easily accommodate
instruments & communication equipment
3 metric tons of payload capacity 12 cubic meters of
environmentally controlled volume 12 cubic meters of additional
unpressurized volume Over a kilowatt of power available Stable platform, fine pointing Recoverable so the payload can
be returned Ideal for rapid prototyping and
experimentation High flight rate expected
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