SpaceX reusable launch system development program: Difference between revisions

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Block 5 boosters: reuse record update
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==== Block 5 boosters ====
{{main|Falcon 9 Block 5}}
With a streak of 19 successful recovery attempts of the first stage from 2016 through to early 2018, SpaceX has focused on rapid reusability of first stage boosters. Block 3 and Block 4 proved economically feasible to be flown twice, as 11 such boosters have been reflown in 2017 and 2018. [[Falcon 9 Full Thrust Block 5|Block 5]] has been designed with multiple reuses in mind, up to 10 reuses with minimal inspection and up to 100 uses with refurbishment.<ref>[https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a20152543/spacex-test-fire-new-falcon-9-block-5/ SpaceX Test-Fires New Falcon 9 Block 5 Rocket Ahead of Maiden Flight (Updated)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407102712/https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a20152543/spacex-test-fire-new-falcon-9-block-5/ |date=April 7, 2019 }}. Robin Seemangal, ''Popular Mechanics''. 4 May 2018.</ref> New aggressive reentry profiles were experimented with expendable Block 3 and Block 4 boosters in early 2018, to test out the limitations on the range of recoverable launch margins that are potential for future Block 5.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-old-gen-falcon-9-ready-rapid-reuse-block-5-rocket/|title=SpaceX expends "old-gen" Falcon 9 to ready for upcoming rapid reuse rocket|website=www.teslarati.com|date=April 3, 2018 |access-date=April 6, 2018|archive-date=April 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407053456/https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-old-gen-falcon-9-ready-rapid-reuse-block-5-rocket/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 9 May 2021, [[List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters#B1051|B1051]] became the first booster to be launched and landed for the tenth time, achieving one of SpaceX's milestone goals for reuse.<ref>{{cite web|title=SpaceX flies historic 10th mission of a Falcon 9 as Starlink constellation expands|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/05/historic-10th-falcon9-reflight/|website=NASASpaceFlight|access-date=9 May 2021|date=9 May 2021|archive-date=May 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516121203/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/05/historic-10th-falcon9-reflight/|url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|20232024|NovemberApril}} the reuse record is 1820 flights.
 
=== Fairing reuse ===