Reusing Boosters: Launch, Land, and Re-Launch

[e-FTW]

Nice work in that Wikipedia page with plenty of graphs: List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters - Wikipedia

Like this one about turnaround times:
View attachment 436757

But the real question is: who will be the firs to launch 4 times? I personally still have a soft spot for 1046 (the first one to 3 launches). It is slated to be sacrificed to the Launch Abort Test, which might end its run.
But! 1049 is also at three. 1048 will be at 3 in a few days and the rookie (started in May of this year!) 1056 is scheduled to do its third trip up this December, the third CRS mission in a row serviced by that new kid on the block (5)... ;-)

Let me fix some clerical errors by my staff over here:
1046 - 3 launches, #4 planned (Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort test) but will be expended/destroyed
1048 - 3 launches
1049 - 3 launches
1047 - 2 launches, #3 planned for next week (AMOS-17) but will be expended
1056 - 2 launches, #3 planned for next December, CRS mission 19

In a few months we are looking at a total 5 boosters with 3 launches under their belts, 3 of which are expected to remain in service. So I guess by the end of the year, 1046/7 might be in the lead at 3.5?
2020 will get us that first 4th landing for a booster! CRS-20 appears to be a good bet for that, if SpaceX keeps re-using 1056 for those missions. Seems like a good idea, as those missions are not especially hard on the boosters.

 

[Grendal]

Let me fix some clerical errors by my staff over here:
1046 - 3 launches, #4 planned (Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort test) but will be expended/destroyed
1048 - 3 launches
1049 - 3 launches
1047 - 2 launches, #3 planned for next week (AMOS-17) but will be expended
1056 - 2 launches, #3 planned for next December, CRS mission 19

In a few months we are looking at a total 5 boosters with 3 launches under their belts, 3 of which are expected to remain in service. So I guess by the end of the year, 1046/7 might be in the lead at 3.5?
2020 will get us that first 4th landing for a booster! CRS-20 appears to be a good bet for that, if SpaceX keeps re-using 1056 for those missions. Seems like a good idea, as those missions are not especially hard on the boosters.

Don't forget that there are two more (somewhat) unscheduled Starlink launches for this year still pending. I'd expect those to use B1048 and B1049 for their 4th launch and landings.

 

[e-FTW]

1046 is said to still be planned to be used for the In-Flight Abort test of Crew Dragon.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon explosion investigation almost complete, says executive | TESLARATI

NASASpaceflight also confirmed that SpaceX still plans to fly Falcon 9 booster B1046.3 on the critical test flight, currently the only established plan to launch a thrice-flown booster, a potential first for SpaceX’s reusability program.

 

[e-FTW]

Don't forget that there are two more (somewhat) unscheduled Starlink launches for this year still pending. I'd expect those to use B1048 and B1049 for their 4th launch and landings.

Confirmed by Hans himself: Eric Berger on Twitter
He did not name the booster, but a cursory look at the Wikipedia page shows that 1048 and 1049 are the only candidates: List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters - Wikipedia
I would assume the collective mind-hive knows where those two booster are.

 

[ecarfan]

Quote from SpaceX plans to start offering Starlink broadband services in 2020 - SpaceNews.com

“Since SpaceX started returning boosters in 2015, 44 first stages were recovered: 26 at sea and 18 on land. So far 23 of the recovered boosters have flown.”

Where is SpaceX storing used boosters?

 

[Grendal]

Quote from SpaceX plans to start offering Starlink broadband services in 2020 - SpaceNews.com

“Since SpaceX started returning boosters in 2015, 44 first stages were recovered: 26 at sea and 18 on land. So far 23 of the recovered boosters have flown.”

Where is SpaceX storing used boosters?

Most ended up in the drink on a second or third launch. A very few were recovered then not used..

Here's a list of cores besides the reddit one:
List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters - Wikipedia

It's the Block 5 booster that received all the changes from what they learned from the Block 1 through 4 that allows for multiple launches we are seeing today. I was surprised when SpaceX threw away one of the Block 5s. It happened though.

 

[Buckminster]

Why no launches since August?

 

[bxr140]

Why no launches since August?

Short answer? There’s nothing to launch.

 

[Electroman]

Short answer? There’s nothing to launch.

Is the launch business unusually down this year? Or is this the norm?

 

[bxr140]

Is the launch business unusually down this year? Or is this the norm?

There are somewhat predictable ebbs and flows, but they have typically been multi-year waves that result from commercial surges and recessions, administration changes, and technology steps. When you get down into annual and smaller timeframes, delivery [and subsequent launch] of a payload is mostly of a real-time function of production. On those timeframes, things like I&T anomalies, supply chain performance, factory loading, and launcher availability end up being the major variables/drivers in satellite delivery.

And because there actually are still relatively few things to launch into space, it's not uncommon for the sum of those variables from the various programs to result in a short timeframe launch backlog or drought.

In the future, especially as the mega constellations start going up and the total number of annual (or whatever timeframe) launches increases, the historical peaks and valleys in launch rate will be smoothed out.

 

[e-FTW]

Quote from SpaceX plans to start offering Starlink broadband services in 2020 - SpaceNews.com

“Since SpaceX started returning boosters in 2015, 44 first stages were recovered: 26 at sea and 18 on land. So far 23 of the recovered boosters have flown.”

Where is SpaceX storing used boosters?

Another one from that article:

Our intent is to use Starlink to push the capability of those boosters and see how many missions they can do

So I now confidently move my 10-launch booster prediction to 2020!
It makes all the sense in the world to push the envelope with your own gear (that you mass-produce anyways) at the pointy end of those launches, in case the flame-y end does something sub-optional.
It will just make them much more confident about going to 10 and more with customer launches.

 

[e-FTW]

This is level 4 on your toaster:

Credit: Julia Julia on Twitter

 

[MichaelP90DL]

View attachment 176966

Just a perspective on the amazing accomplishment that this is:

Mind boggling. The first time I watched a booster landing, I was literally speechless. Incredible achievements.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

To make a matching set to go with the other one already on display there?

Big azz candlesticks, maybe for a wedding? Is Elon getting married?

 

[e-FTW]

Pretty cool time-lapse video of booster 1048.4 going from vertical with one last leg attached to horizontal on the transporter: Stephen Marr on Twitter

Thoughts:
- This is still mind blowing that it flew and landed four times
- But then again, a few years from now in the Starship era we will look back at this and be like: “Those Falcon 9s were soooo high maintenance...”

 

[e-FTW]

From Ars’ latest Rocket Report:

Sometime in 2020, among rockets in active service, the Falcon 9 will almost certainly become the U.S. booster with the most launch experience, surpassing the Atlas V. That rocket has launched 80 times, with one more mission scheduled for later this month

 

[MichaelP90DL]

From Ars’ latest Rocket Report:

I saw a headstone in the shape of the original Atlas missile, which had a rather unique profile, easily identified. As I recall, the dead fellow was involved with designing it. And I totally don't remember which cemetery it was in.

 

[bxr140]

Off the cuff, I think only STS has flown more missions than Atlas 5 for any American launcher, active or retired. With a bit of luck F9 should beat that number by the time 2021 closes out.

 

[Bobfitz1]

Mind boggling. The first time I watched a booster landing, I was literally speechless. Incredible achievements.

That medium range view showing the entire booster as it come in and lands is amazing. IMO I think SpaceX should have a ship positioned to show that view anytime light and weather conditions are suitable. Followed by the usual feed of the booster on deck of drone ship.

New video from current landings just serves to highlight again what SpaceX can to that competing launch providers cannot.
I suppose it is wishful thinking on my part, but since these would be news at the time in a way an archive clip is not, perhaps the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee has the power to request and have each new 10 sec clip played during a committee meeting and entered into the record. Then perhaps we might see an occasional clip of Sen. Shelby grinding his teeth!

 

[adiggs]

That medium range view showing the entire booster as it come in and lands is amazing. IMO I think SpaceX should have a ship positioned to show that view anytime light and weather conditions are suitable. Followed by the usual feed of the booster on deck of drone ship.

New video from current landings just serves to highlight again what SpaceX can to that competing launch providers cannot.
I suppose it is wishful thinking on my part, but since these would be news at the time in a way an archive clip is not, perhaps the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee has the power to request and have each new 10 sec clip played during a committee meeting and entered into the record. Then perhaps we might see an occasional clip of Sen. Shelby grinding his teeth!

OMG - a second ship a mile away or so, just to show us a medium range view of the first stage landing on its postage stamp at sea - that'd be like the most amazing thing ever. So unreal, I think many people's first reaction is how bad the CGI and the writing is to come up with the idea