How does SpaceX Falcon 9 work?

The power behind the Falcon 9 is the Merlin engine, which is built in-house by SpaceX. These engines burn a combination of rocket-grade kerosene called Rocket Propellant 1 and liquid oxygen. On a typical Falcon 9 launch, the first stage engines burn for 162 seconds, and the second stage engine burns for 397 seconds.

What makes the Falcon 9 reusable?

In order to make the Falcon 9 reusable and return to the launch site, extra propellant and landing gear must be carried on the first stage, requiring around a 30 percent reduction of the maximum payload to orbit in comparison with the expendable Falcon 9.

How is starship fueled?

Both Starship’s stages are equipped with Raptor engines, full-flow staged combustion cycle rocket engines consuming liquid methane and liquid oxygen. Methane is chosen as Starship’s propellant because it is cheaper, burns more cleanly, and can be produced on Mars via in-situ resource utilization.

What does SpaceX use for fuel?

SpaceX’s next-generation Raptor engine, which will power the company’s huge new Starship deep-space transportation system, employs supercooled liquid methane and LOX as propellants. The company’s previous engines, Merlin and Kestrel, have also used LOX, though with refined kerosene rather than methane.

What fuel does Falcon 9 use?

kerosene
Merlin. Merlin is a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX for use on its Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles. Merlin engines use a rocket grade kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen as rocket propellants in a gas-generator power cycle. The Merlin engine was originally designed for recovery and reuse.

What is Falcon 9 made of?

Falcon 9 tanks are made of aluminum-lithium alloy, a material made stronger and lighter than aluminum by the addition of lithium. Inside the two stages are two large tanks each capped with an aluminum dome, which store liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) engine propellants.

Has Elon Musk been in space?

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is one of the key figureheads in the emergent new space race, but he hasn’t gone to space himself. Elon Musk may have an impressive track record in the new space race, but he hasn’t actually gone to space himself. Bezos and Branson both flew past the boundaries of space — depending on who you ask.

What is the fuel for the Falcon 9?

Falcon 9’s first stage incorporates nine Merlin engines and aluminum-lithium alloy tanks containing liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) propellant. Falcon 9 generates more than 1.7 million pounds of thrust at sea level.

What type of fuel does the Falcon 9 use?