Falcon 9 info on nsf

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docm

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Sounds like they're pretty far along....<br /><br />Link....<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p><i><b>NASASpaceflight.com:</b></i> How have things been progressing on the Falcon 9, and when could we expect a test firing? I understand towards the end of this year, from your last update.<br /><br /><b>Elon Musk:</b> Yes, if not at the end of this year, then very early next. We expect to have everything on the Falcon 9 first stage except the engines done in about three months. The first stage is the far more challenging stage of the vehicle.<br /><br />Everything except the engines should be done in about three months. We have five of the nine engines that are ready to go, and then another four which are in a production cycle.<br /><br /><i><b>NASASpaceflight.com:</b></i> Are these the Merlin 1B with the better turbo-pump, or are these the 1A engines?<br /><br /><b>Elon Musk:</b> There are three versions of Merlin. The Merlin 1A is the basic Merlin which is on the Falcon 1, with the ablative chamber, and that is about a 72,000 lb sea-level thrust engine. <br /><br />Then there's the Merlin 1B, which is upgraded in thrust, and upgraded turbopump, upgraded main valve - a number of improvements all around - but still an ablative chamber. That's actually not something that is going to fly. That is an interim engine. In fact we may or may not fire those engines, depending upon the progress of the Merlin 1C.<br /><br />So the Merlin 1C is the engine that is headed for Falcon 9, and it is a fully regen engine. So it has a copper milled copper chamber attached to a brazed tube wall nozzle chamber. <br /><br />In fact it is similar to the way in which the Space Shuttle main engine is done. That's actually the highest heat capacity, lowest weight architecture you can do.<br /> /><br /><i><b>NASASpaceflight.com:</b></i> And then Falcon 9 is still slated to run sometime next year -</p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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docm

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Well...last night it appeared on your front page <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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