Falcon 1

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Falcon 1

Falcon 1 rocket
Function	Orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	SpaceX
Country of origin	United States
Project cost	US$90 million
Cost per launch	US$7 million
Size
Height	21 m (69 ft)
Diameter	1.7 m (5.6 ft)
Mass	28 t (62,000 lb)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Orbital inclination	9.0 - 9.35°
Mass	Demonstrated (667 km orbit): 180 kg (400 lb) Proposed (185 km orbit): 670 kg (1,480 lb)[1][2]
Payload to SSO
Mass	200 kg (440 lb)[3]
Launch history
Status	Retired[4]
Launch sites	Omelek Island
Total launches	5
Success(es)	2
Failure(s)	3
Partial failure(s)	0
First flight	24 March 2006 22:30 GMT
Last flight	14 July 2009 03:35 GMT
First stage
Powered by	1x Merlin 1A (first 2 flights) 1x Merlin 1C (final 3 flights)
Maximum thrust	450 kN (100,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	255 s (2.50 km/s) (sea level)
Burn time	169 s
Propellant	RP-1/LOX
Second stage
Powered by	1x Kestrel
Maximum thrust	31 kN (7,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	327 s (3.21 km/s)
Burn time	378 s
Propellant	RP-1/LOX
[edit on Wikidata]

Falcon 1 was a small-lift launch vehicle that was operated from 2006 to 2009^[5] by SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer. On 28 September 2008, Falcon 1 became the first privately developed fully liquid-fueled launch vehicle to go into orbit around the Earth.^{[6]: 203 [7]}

The two-stage-to-orbit rocket used LOX/RP-1 for both stages, the first powered by a single Merlin engine, and the second powered by a single Kestrel engine.

The vehicle was launched a total of five times. After three failed launch attempts, Falcon 1 achieved orbit on its fourth attempt in September 2008 with a mass simulator as a payload. On 14 July 2009, Falcon 1 made its second successful flight, delivering the Malaysian RazakSAT satellite to orbit on SpaceX's first commercial launch (fifth and final launch overall). Following this flight, the Falcon 1 was retired and succeeded by Falcon 9.

SpaceX had announced an enhanced variant, the Falcon 1e,^[4] but development was stopped in favor of Falcon 9.