SpaceX v1.2 (FT) Core Discussion - Block 3, 4, and 5

Improvement in Block 4 will be more fluid. The last shot of the titanium mesh fin is an improvement of Block 4.

I like that she said that the current Merlin D was accelerated to 240K pounds on the test bench (the first Merlin is a thrust of 70K pounds). Block 5 is an improvement of this.

This is a short topic, but it will be interesting to see how this changes production. If recovery is normal and there is an improvement of level 5 and the stage can be reused 10 to 12 times before retrofitting, Falcon 9 will be used within a few years, 20 each year will not be needed. Currently, Falcon Heavy is not required anymore. So I think it may be a problem between 2020 and 2021. Probably so far they will concentrate on BFR / BFS, Falcon 9 / H maintenance requires only half of the labor force

SpaceX announced that it succeeded in completing the transition block in Falcon 9 Block 5 version in 2017. 4. The biggest difference between Block 3 and Block 5 is that all engines' driving force has improved. I improved the landing gear. In addition, many small changes help to simplify the recovery and reuse of the first stage booster. The focus of improvement is to increase production efficiency and reusability. SpaceX aims to make the booster of Block 5 fly up to 100 times for refurbishment by checking 10 times and 2 times respectively.

In 2017, SpaceX started a gradual change to the Falcon 9 Full Thrust version and called it "Block 4". In the first phase, only the second phase was changed to the block 4 standard, flying at the top of the first phase of "Block 3", and carrying out three missions. . Block 4 is described as a transition between Full Thrust v1.2 "Block 3" followed by Falcon 9 Block 5. It includes an increased engine thrust upgrade resulting in block 5's ultimate thrust. The first flight of the complete block 4 design (the first and second phases) is the task of NASA CRS - 12 on August 14, 2017.

In addition to transporting the largest number of individual satellites on the orbit of a single SpaceX aircraft, this mission records the first voyage of the "Full Thrust" (FT), also known as the "v 1" of the Falcon 9 Booster It is expected to do. . Successful flights in mid-December will open doors to ambitious 2016. It is scheduled to begin with commercial supply service (CRS) - 8 Dragon Cargo flights in the first week or second week of the International Space Station (ISS). January

The Block 5 version of Rocket has been optimized for reusability and flew once during a successful flight in May. Since that time, SpaceX has investigated the inventory of previously flying rockets. The booster scheduled to fly on Friday was first launched more than two months ago on April 18 and sent NASA 's planet hunting TESS spacecraft to the resonance orbit of the moon. In the case of Block 4 Booster, this 10 - week turnaround is very fast, but SpaceX says that Block 5 should be able to fly faster.