Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 08/16/2025 10:17:27 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
SpaceX's recent launch involved another successful landing of its Falcon 9 booster, but this time marked a Falcon Heavy center core booster launching and landing as a single-stick Falcon 9 rocket.
The booster, designated B1091, powered the KF-02 mission, deploying 24 satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband constellation into low Earth orbit. This event marks a technical first for the company, blending elements of its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy programs...
At first glance, the launch appeared to be a standard Falcon 9 mission. However, B1091 is no ordinary booster. As revealed by SpaceX Vice President of Falcon and Dragon, Jon Edwards, in a May 2025 post on X, B1091 was originally built as a Falcon Heavy center core.
"B1091 is in fact a Falcon Heavy center core that will fly in a single stick configuration a handful of times before being reconfigured and flying as a Falcon Heavy," Edwards stated. "This way we get some use out of it while the Heavy customer finishes up the payload while also reducing risk as it will be flight proven."
Falcon Heavy center cores differ significantly from standard Falcon 9 boosters. Designed to withstand the intense stresses of being flanked by two side boosters, center cores feature thicker tank walls, additional structural supports, and reinforced attachment points.
In contrast, Falcon Heavy side boosters are nearly identical to Falcon 9 cores, requiring only minor integration hardware and aerodynamic nosecones.
(Excerpt) Read more at nasaspaceflight.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
The theoretical max payload (that is, what the engines and their fuel will throw into orbit) is or at least has been constrained by the structural strength of the core boosters.
Crossfeeding was also considered for the Falcon Heavy, but was rejected in favor of underthrottling the core until the side boosters were shut down (or expended) and jettisoned.
Some cool innovation! Love it.
Now here’s a double irony:
1. SpaceX launched 24 satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband constellation — a competitor to StarLink!
2. Bezos has to depend on SpaceX to launch his satellites and cannot use his own Blue Origin rockets.
As of August 11, 2025, Amazon's Project Kuiper has 102 satellites in orbit. I suppose that number is now 126 with the B1091 launch and satellite deployment.
Bezos is still doing human suborbital flights and has 1/80 the number of satellites in orbit as StarLink.
What an amazing commanding lead by Musk!
A technology bump. All right, I may be forced to admit that this heavier-than-air flight thing might be possible after all...
Definitely. The fact that Amazon has to resort to SpaceX, and SpaceX doesn’t feel particularly threatened, shows who has the edge, and will probably keep it for decades.
Check 6 Podcast: How Starlink Became SpaceX’s Cash Cow
AviationWeek
44.6K subscribers
August 8, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYhtMxcpYtY
Just recently, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launches passed the 500 mark, with 400+ booster landings for reuse. I suspect that these core boosters may begin to see more work, with heavier loads and bigger fairings, if the Starship develop continues to stall. OTOH, just because they run a little late doesn’t mean they don’t get where they’re going. :^)
Hey! Let’s not jump to conclusions! 😊
Not only that but think of how much less expensive it is for SpaceX to launch satellites into space compared to other countries.
China and Russia get to watch the launches just like we all do but can’t duplicate the feat of launching, landing and reusing the boosters.
Since no one has been able duplicate what SpaceX has been doing for years proves how technically challenging it must be.
Cant wait for Starship10!
“I suppose that number is now 126 with the B1091 launch and satellite deployment. ... Bezos is still doing human suborbital flights and has 1/80 the number of satellites in orbit as StarLink.”
maybe launching a few Bezos satellites is way to get Bezos to pay for SpaceX R & D costs ...
I had to laugh at the recent announcement of a successful Ariane rocket launch. I can’t remember the last time I read about an Ariane rocket launch.
Ariane rocket launch, billions and billions $$$$ for each launch.
Not reusable
Therefore, to use the wacky woke vernacular, it is not sustainable.
Every time Elon Musk and SpaceX launch/test, Robert Heinlein is smiling down from Heaven. .
Ariane launches are $160ish million. More than SpaceX, but it’s not billions and billions.
Never underestimate the creativity of any human!
Societies in China and Russia are very rigid.
Going against the “Grain” is not allowed.
America is not that far behind BTW.
But Americans are allowed to be more creative which translates to more failures and more successes.
Whereas Chinese and Russian societies refuse to admit to or allow failures, thereby not learning from that incident. America does publish failures and then we fix it as best we can openly.
Americans are viewed as a bunch of unruly kids.
We are just that. Kids by nature are very creative in their play. the “adults” tend to lose that perspective.
So we can succeed where others fear to go.
Well said!
Nailed it!
Right, and the cost per launch declines with each reuse. SpaceX’ recycling cost is crazy low. I remember Musk talking about the fairings. There are two of them, and (oddly, IMHO) aren’t hinged off the booster, so they free fall like a shuttlecock back toward the surface. NASA et al would just say, “who gives a ****”, but Musk said, let’s see if we can recover them, that’s $2 million we won’t have to spend again.
Even if it blows up, it’ll be worth watching. 😉
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
