COTS 2 Mission Press Kit

SpaceX/NASA Launch and Mission to Space Station 

CONTENTS 

3 Mission Highlights 

4 Mission Overview 

6 Dragon Recovery Operations 

7 Mission Objectives 

9 Mission Timeline 

11 Dragon Cargo Manifest 

13 NASA Slides – Mission Profile, Rendezvous, Maneuvers, Re-Entry and Recovery 

15 Overview of the International Space Station

17 Overview of NASA’s COTS Program

19 SpaceX Company Overview 

21 SpaceX Leadership – Musk & Shotwell Bios 

23 SpaceX Launch Manifest - A list of upcoming missions 

25 SpaceX Facilities 

27 Dragon Overview 

29 Falcon 9 Overview 

31 45th Space Wing Fact Sheet 

HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOS AND VIDEO 

SpaceX will post photos and video throughout the mission. 

High-Resolution photographs can be downloaded from: http://spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com

Broadcast quality video can be downloaded from: https://vimeo.com/spacexlaunch/videos

MORE RESOURCES ON THE WEB 

Mission updates will be posted to: 

www.SpaceX.com

www.twitter.com/elonmusk

www.twitter.com/spacex

www.facebook.com/spacex

www.youtube.com/spacex

For NASA coverage, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

http://www.nasa.gov/station

1
WEBCAST INFORMATION 

The launch will be webcast live, with commentary from SpaceX corporate headquarters in 

Hawthorne, CA, at www.spacex.com. 

The webcast will begin approximately 40 minutes before launch. 

SpaceX hosts will provide information specific to the flight, an overview of the Falcon 9 rocket 

and Dragon spacecraft, and commentary on the launch and flight sequences. It will end when 

the Dragon spacecraft separates from the 2nd stage of the Falcon 9 rocket. 

SPACEX MEDIA CONTACT 

Kirstin Brost Grantham 

Director of Communications, SpaceX 

202-649-2716 

media@spacex.com

NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 

Josh Byerly

Public Affairs Officer

COTS Program Lead, NASA Johnson Space Center

281-483-5111

George Diller

Public Affairs Officer

Launch Operations, NASA Kennedy Space Center

321-867-2468

Kelly Humphries

Public Affairs Officer

International Space Station Program Lead

NASA Johnson Space Center

281-483-5111

Michael Braukus

Public Affairs Officer

Human Exploration and Operations

NASA Headquarters

202-358-1979

2
COTS 2 Demonstration 

SpaceX/NASA Launch and Mission to Space Station 

First Attempt by a Commercial Company to Send a 

Spacecraft to the Space Station 

A New Era in Spaceflight

We stand at the dawn of an exciting new era in space travel: one in which NASA and 

commercial companies work in partnership to provide rapid advances in space 

transportation. 

This SpaceX mission is a milestone in that transition, marking the first time in history that a commercial company will attempt to 

send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, something only a few governments have ever accomplished. This is a 

demonstration mission, a test flight primarily designed to provide NASA and SpaceX with valuable insight to ensure successful future 

missions. 

Mission Highlights 

During the mission, Dragon must perform a series of complex tasks, each presenting significant technical challenges (timeline could 

change):

 Day 1/Launch Day: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches a Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. 

 Day 2: Dragon orbits Earth as it travels toward the International Space Station. 

 Day 3: Dragon’s sensors and flight systems are subject to a series of complicated tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to 

berth with the space station; these tests include maneuvers and systems checks that see the vehicle come within 1.5 miles of 

the station. 

 Day 4: NASA decides if Dragon is allowed to attempt to berth with the station. If so, Dragon approaches; it is captured by 

station’s robotic arm and attached to the station. This requires extreme precision even as both Dragon and station orbit the 

Earth every 90 minutes. 

 Day 5 - TBD: Astronauts open Dragon’s hatch, unload supplies and fill Dragon with return cargo. 

 TBD: After approximately two weeks, Dragon is detached from the station and returns to Earth, landing in the Pacific, hundreds 

of miles west of Southern California. 

Pushing the Envelope, Success is Not Guaranteed 

Demonstration launches are conducted to determine potential issues so that they might be addressed and – by their very nature –

carry a significant risk. All spaceflight is incredibly complicated, and this flight introduces a series of new challenges -- it is only the 

third flight of the Falcon 9 rocket, the second of the Dragon capsule, and the first for a number of all-new components necessary to 

berth with the International Space Station. If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and 

try again. 

2

nd Flight of the NASA COTS Program 

This is SpaceX's second demonstration flight under a 2006 Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement with NASA 

to develop the capability to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station. To date, SpaceX has received $381 million for 

completing 37 out of 40 milestones worth a possible $396 million set in that agreement. Completed milestones include the first test 

flight in December 2010, during which SpaceX became the first commercial company to send a spacecraft to low-Earth orbit and 

recover it successfully, something that only three governments – the United States, Russia and China – have ever done. 

Next Up 

Once SpaceX has successfully demonstrated Dragon’s ability to berth with the space station, it will begin to fulfill a 2008 contract 

signed with NASA for a minimum of 12 flights carrying supplies to and from the space station. Without the space shuttle, Dragon is 

the only spacecraft in the world capable of returning significant cargo from the space station. Falcon 9 and Dragon were designed to 

carry astronauts in the future; these cargo missions will yield valuable flight experience toward this goal. 

3
SpaceX Demonstration Mission 

MISSION OVERVIEW

For the first time in history, a private corporation is set to prove it can 

deliver cargo to the International Space Station. At the Cape Canaveral Air 

Force Station, Fla., a Falcon 9 rocket belonging to Space Exploration 

Technologies (SpaceX), is being prepared to place its Dragon spacecraft into 

orbit on a test mission to the orbital outpost. 

Working for the past six years under NASA’s Commercial Orbital 

Transportation Services program (COTS), both SpaceX and Orbital Sciences 

Corp. have been pursuing independent efforts to design, test and fly two 

brand new cargo vehicles. These will provide the United States with safe, 

reliable and efficient cargo delivery services to the orbiting complex NASA 

built with its international partners. 

The first COTS demonstration flight that SpaceX completed was in 

December 2010, where it proved that it could launch, orbit and recover its 

Dragon spacecraft. Prior to that, the maiden flight of the Falcon 9 

demonstrated it could launch a Dragon capsule simulator atop a Falcon 9 

rocket. This upcoming mission will prove that Dragon can rendezvous and 

berth with the International Space Station. 

After launching from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Dragon will begin 

its journey to the space station. Just under 10 minutes after launch, Dragon 

will reach its preliminary orbit, deploy its solar arrays and begin a carefully 

choreographed series of engine firings to reach the station. During this part 

of the flight, Dragon will demonstrate the first set of tests as part of its COTS 

milestone requirements. The spacecraft will perform a test of its Absolute 

GPS (AGPS) system, using global positioning system satellites to determine 

its location. It also will conduct a free drift demonstration, allowing the 

spacecraft to float freely with all of its thrusters inhibited. Then Dragon will perform a demonstration of its abort 

capability, to ensure it could move away from the station if necessary. 

On the third day of the flight, Dragon will perform a burn that will bring it to a path 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) below the 

station. During this “fly-under,” Dragon will establish UHF communication with the station using its COTS Ultra-high 

frequency Communication Unit (CUCU). Dragon will perform a test of its Relative GPS (RGPS) system, which uses the 

relative positions of the spacecraft to the space station to determine its location. Also, using the crew command panel 

(CCP) on board the station, the Expedition crew will briefly interact with Dragon, monitoring the fly-under and sending a 

command to Dragon to turn on its strobe light. This ability for the crew to send commands to Dragon will be important 

for the next day’s activity. Once the fly-under is complete, Dragon will fire its engines to begin a loop out in front, above 

and then behind the station in a racetrack pattern at a distance between 7-10 kilometers (4-6.2 miles). This will set the 

spacecraft up for a re-rendezvous with the station the next day. 

4
For its final day of approach to the station, Dragon will perform another engine burn that will bring it 2.5 kilometers (1.5 

miles) below the station once again. A go/no-go is performed by the Mission Control Houston team to allow Dragon to 

perform another set of burns that will bring it to within 1.4 kilometers (0.87 miles) of the station. Another go/no-go will 

take place from Mission Control Houston, and then Dragon will move from up to 250 meters (820 feet) from the station. 

The next set of COTS milestone demonstrations will begin, the first of which is Dragon’s test of its LIDAR system. This 

test will confirm that Dragon’s position and velocity is accurate by comparing the 

LIDAR image that Dragon receives against Dragon’s thermal imagers. A series of checkout maneuvers will commence. 

The Dragon flight control team in Hawthorne, Calif., will command the spacecraft to approach the station from its hold 

position. It will move from 250 meters to 220 meters below the station (720 feet). The crew, using the CCP, will then 

command Dragon to retreat, and the spacecraft will move back down to the hold point. This test will ensure that 

Dragon’s range to the ISS is accurate, and that the flight control team sees the spacecraft’s acceleration and braking 

perform as expected. It will hold at 250 meters, and once again the Dragon flight team will command it to approach the 

station. At the 220 meter position, the crew will command the vehicle to hold. 

Another go/no-go is performed in Houston, and then Dragon 

is permitted to enter inside the Keep-Out Sphere (KOS), an 

imaginary circle drawn 200 meters (656 feet) around the 

station that prevents the risk of collision with the orbiting 

complex. Dragon will proceed to a position 30 meters (98 

feet) from the station and will automatically hold. Another 

go/no-go is completed, and then Dragon will proceed to the 

10 meter (32 feet) position, which is the capture point. A final 

go/no-go is performed, and the Mission Control Houston 

team will notify the crew they are go to capture Dragon. 

At that point, Expedition 31 crew member Don Pettit will use 

the station’s robotic arm, which measures 17.6 meters (57.7 feet) long, to reach out and grapple the Dragon spacecraft. 

Pettit, with the help of fellow crewmember Andre Kuipers, will guide Dragon to the 

bottom, Earth-facing side of the Harmony node, where it will be attached to the station. If the rendezvous and Dragon 

testing runs long, Mission Control could elect to leave Dragon grappled to the station’s arm overnight before berthing it 

the next day. 

The crew will open the hatch between the Dragon and the station the following day, after performing an inspection of 

the air inside Dragon, a standard procedure for any visiting vehicle. The crew will spend about 25 hours over the next 

couple of weeks unloading the Dragon of the cargo that was flown up to the station. On this test flight, Dragon will 

transport 460 kilograms (1,014 pounds) of cargo and will return 620 kilograms (1,367 pounds). Because this is a test 

flight, the cargo being brought to the station is considered non-critical and includes additional food, water and clothing 

for the station residents. It will supplement what was flown on the European Space Agency’s Automated Transfer 

Vehicle, which docked with the station on March 28. 

Dragon will spend about two weeks attached to the space station, at which point the crew will detach it from Harmony, 

maneuver it out to the 10 meter release point and then will ungrapple the vehicle. Dragon will perform a series of 

engine burns that will place it on a trajectory to take it away from the vicinity of the station. Mission Control Houston 

will then confirm that Dragon is on a safe path away from the complex. 

Approximately four hours after Dragon leaves the station, it will conduct its deorbit burn, which lasts about seven 

minutes. It takes about 30 minutes for Dragon to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, 

about 450 kilometers (250 miles) off the West Coast of the United States.

5
Dragon Recovery 

The Dragon spacecraft is targeted to land in the Pacific 

Ocean, a few hundred miles west of Southern California. 

The landing location is controlled by firing the Draco 

thrusters during reentry. In a carefully timed sequence 

of events, dual drogue parachutes deploy at 45,000 feet 

to stabilize and slow the spacecraft. 

Full deployment of the drogues triggers the release of 

the main parachutes, each 116 feet in diameter, at about 

10,000 feet, with the drogues detaching from the 

spacecraft. Main parachutes further slow the 

spacecraft's descent to approximately 16 to 18 feet per 

second. Oversized parachutes are critical in ensuring a 

safe landing for crew members. Even if Dragon were to 

lose one of its main parachutes, the two remaining 

chutes would still ensure a safe landing. 

SpaceX will use a 185 -foot working barge equipped with a crane and pulled by a tug boat, an 80 -foot crew boat, and 

two 25 -foot rigid hull inflatable boats (RIB) to conduct recovery operations. On board will be approximately a dozen 

SpaceX engineers and technicians as well as a 4 -person dive team. 

When Dragon returns, the boats will be 

waiting outside the targeted landing area, 

which is a few days’ journey from land. 

Once Dragon lands in the water, the 25 -

foot boats will carry the experienced dive 

team to the floating spacecraft. They will 

secure the vehicle and tow it to the barge, 

where the crane will pick it up and place it 

on deck. 

On this mission, Dragon will be recovered 

by ship. Long term, once SpaceX has 

proven the ability to control reentry 

accurately, we intend to add deployable 

landing gear to touch down on land. 

6
 

Mission Objectives 

While the Dragon spacecraft’s attempt to visit the International Space Station represents an historic first, the act of berthing itself 

represents only one of many significant challenges involved in this demonstration mission. Successfully attaching to the space 

station is an important goal, but it is only one measure of success. 

During this flight, SpaceX must complete milestones for two separate missions – COTS 2 and COTS 3. SpaceX and NASA agreed on 

the following objectives for those two missions. 

COTS 2 OFFICIAL MISSION OBJECTIVES 

Complete Licenses and Certifications: 

 United States Air Force 45th Space Wing certifies launch. 

 Federal Aviation Administration issues licenses to launch and 

to return the spacecraft from orbit. 

Rocket Launch and Spacecraft Inserted into Orbit: 

 Falcon 9 rocket ascends through lightning towers on the 

launch site without contact. 

 Rocket’s first stage separates from its second stage, and the 

second stage engine ignites. 

 Rocket’s second stage places the Dragon spacecraft into 

planned orbit -- currently 310 km x 340 km above the Earth 

(+50 km, altitude not to exceed 368 km). 

 Dragon is also placed in planned inclination -- currently 51.6 

degrees (+0.25 degree). 

On-Orbit Operations:

 Dragon spacecraft separates from rocket’s second stage. 

 Solar arrays deploy from Dragon’s trunk and function 

properly. 

 Dragon completes system checkout. 

 Dragon initiates phasing and height adjustment maneuver. 

 Dragon performs Abort Demonstration. 

 Dragon performs Absolute GPS Demonstration. 

 Dragon establishes communication with International Space 

Station using SpaceX’s COTS UHF Communication Unit 

(CUCU). Astronauts on the space station are able to issue 

commands to Dragon using the Crew Command Panel (CCP).

 Dragon performs Relative GPS Demonstration. 

 Dragon demonstrates free drift, then stops and floats freely 

in orbit as it will when grappled by the space station’s robotic 

arm. 

 Dragon’s performance during extended time in orbit is 

demonstrated, testing that the vehicle’s components are 

able to operate in the environments (vacuum, thermal, and 

radiation) found in space, especially Dragon’s solar arrays, 

radiators, avionics, and trunk. 

 Performance of new, redundant (triple string) avionics and of 

spacecraft systems is demonstrated. 

7
 

De-orbit Burn & Separation: 

 Dragon’s Draco thrusters successfully perform de-orbit burn sending the vehicle back to Earth on target for landing within 

landing area. 

Controlled Entry, Descent, and Landing: 

 Dragon successfully deploys main parachutes. 

 Dragon lands in set landing area in the Pacific Ocean, west of Southern California. 

Recovery: 

 The Dragon spacecraft is successfully recovered. 

COTS 3 MISSION OBJECTIVES 

On-Orbit Operations -- Approach: 

 NASA approves Dragon to enter Approach Ellipsoid. 

 Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) camera used for navigation during approach to the space station are tested. 

 Dragon holds on R-bar. 

 Dragon demonstrates a retreat on R-bar. 

International Space Station -- Attached Operations: 

 Dragon is commanded to free drift. 

 Dragon is successfully grappled by the station’s robotic arm - Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS). 

 Dragon’s Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM) successfully mates with the International Space Station. 

 Astronauts open Dragon’s hatch. 

 Astronauts remove cargo from Dragon then load cargo onto Dragon. 

On-Orbit Operations -- Departure: 

 Dragon is successfully de-berthed from the Space Station. 

 Dragon successfully lowers its orbit for reentry. 

Recovery: 

 Outbound cargo is recovered on earth and returned to NASA. 

8
Mission Timeline 

Times and Dates Are Subject to Change

Launch Day 

COUNTDOWN 

Hour/Min/Sec Events 

- 7:30:30 Vehicles are powered on 

- 3:50:00 Commence loading liquid oxygen (LOX) 

- 3:40:00 Commence loading RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) 

- 3:15:00 LOX and RP-1 loading complete 

- 0:10:30 F9 terminal count autosequence started 

- 0:05:30 Dragon terminal count auto starts 

- 0:02:30 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch 

- 0:02:00 Range Control Officer (USAF) verifies range is go for launch 

- 0:01:00 Command flight computer state to startup, turn on pad deck and Niagara Water 

- 0:00:40 Pressurize propellant tanks 

- 0:00:03 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start 

 0:00:00 Falcon 9 Launch 

LAUNCH 

Hour/Min/Sec Events 

0:01:24 Max Q 

0:03:00 1st stage engine shutdown/Main Engine Cut Off (MECO) 

0:03:05 1st and 2nd stages separate 

0:03:12 Stage 2 engine starts 

0:03:52 Dragon nose cone jettisoned 

0:09:14 2nd stage engine cut off (SECO) 

0:09:49 Dragon separates from 2nd stage 

ON ORBIT OPERATIONS/ INITIAL DEMONSTATIONS IN THE FAR FIELD

Hour/Min/Sec Events 

0:11:53 Start sequence to deploy solar arrays 

0:54:49 Demonstrate absolute GPS 

2:26:48 Start GNC Bay door deployment, this door holds sensors necessary for rendezvous 

2:40:49 Relative navigation sensors checkout, checks LIDAR and Thermal Imager 

8:46:52 Demonstrate full abort, demonstrates Dragon’s ability to abort with a continuous burn 

9:57:58 Pulsed abort demonstration, checks Dragon’s ability to perform abort using pulsating burns

10:37:58 Demonstrate Dragon’s ability to free drift 

9
DRAGON PHASING –Dragon Moves Closer to the Space Station Day 2

 Co-elliptic burns, place Dragon in a circular orbit 

 Height adjust burns, start adjusting altitude higher towards station 

FLYBY OPERATIONS Day 3 

 Height adjust burn carries Dragon 2.5 km below the station (GO/NO-GO) 

 Dragon demonstrates relative GPS 

 Dragon starts receiving and transmitting information from/to the CUCU unit on the station 

 Height adjust burn carries Dragon away from ISS 

RE-RENDEZVOUS – Dragon flies around the station, returning to its original approach location Day 3-4

 Dragon begins burns that carry the spacecraft above the space station (GO/NO-GO) 

 Rear height adjust burn, Dragon starts a series of maneuvers that place it behind and below the space station 

(GO/NO-GO)

HEIGHT ADJUST MANEUVERS TO CAPTURE Day 4 

 Height adjust burn, Dragon begins burns that bring it within 2.5 km of station (GO/NO-GO) 

 Dragon again receives and sends information from/to the CUCU unit on station 

 Height adjust burn, brings Dragon 1.2 km from station (GO/NO-GO) 

 Height adjust burn, carries Dragon into the station’s approach ellipsoid (GO/NO-GO) 

R-BAR TO CAPTURE (Radial Bar is an imaginary line connecting station to center of the Earth) Day 4

 Dragon LIDAR Demo, shows LIDAR is providing Dragon with necessary information for proximity operations 

 Dragon holds at 250 meters (GO/NO-GO) for Demo Maneuvers 

 Dragon begins R-Bar Demonstration (GO/NO-GO) 

 Dragon holds at 30 meters 

 Dragon holds at capture point, 10 meters below the station 

 Station’s robotic arm (SSRMS) captures Dragon (GO/NO-GO) 

 Dragon berths 

RETURN TBD 

 Dragon vestibule de-mate and depressurization 

 Station’s robotic arm uninstalls Dragon 

 Robotic arm releases Dragon 

 Dragon starts departure burns 

 Dragon closes the guidance, navigation and control bay door 

 Deorbit burn 

 Trunk jettisoned 

 Drogue chutes deployed 

 Main chutes deployed 

 Dragon lands in water and is recovered

10
Dragon Cargo Manifest 

USOS (U.S. On-Orbit Segment) Cargo 

LAUNCH

Food and Crew Provisions 674 pounds (306 kilograms)

 13 bags standard rations

 5 bags low-sodium rations

 Crew clothing

 Pantry items (batteries, etc)

 SODF and Official Flight Kit

 Food, about 117 standard meals, and 45 lowsodium meals

Utilization Payloads 46.3 pounds (21 kilograms) 

 NanoRacks Module 9 for U.S. National 

Laboratory

 NanoRacks-CubeLabs Module-9 uses a 2 cube unit box for student 

competition investigations using 15 liquid mixing tube assemblies that 

function similar to commercial glow sticks. Science goals for 

NanoRacks-CubeLabs Module-9 range from microbial growth to water 

purification in microgravity

 Ice bricks  For cooling and transfer of experiment samples

Cargo Bags 271.1 pounds (123 kilograms)

 Cargo bags  Preposition of cargo bags for future flights

Computers and Supplies 22 pounds (10 kilograms)

 Laptop, batteries, power supply cables

Total Cargo Mass 1,014 pounds (460 kilograms)

 Total Mass Including Packaging 1,146 pounds (520 kilograms)

11
Dragon Cargo Manifest 

USOS (U.S. On-Orbit Segment) Cargo 

RETURN

Crew Preference Items 315 pounds (143 kilograms) 

 Crew preference items, official flight kit 

items 

Utilization Payloads 205 pounds (93 kilograms)

 “Plant Signaling” hardware (16 Experiment 

Unique Equipment Assemblies)

 Plant Signaling seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms plants 

use to sense and respond to changes in their environment. Ambient 

Hardware return only; no plant sample return (24 kg)

 Shear History Extensional Rheology 

Experiment (SHERE) Hardware

 SHERE seeks to understand how liquid polymers behave in 

microgravity by measuring response to straining and stressing. 

Ambient hardware return; no samples (36 kg)

 Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) 

Sample Cartridge Assemblies (Qty 3)

 MSRR experiments examined various aspects of alloy materials 

processing in microgravity

 SETA (Solidification along a Eutectic path in Ternary Alloys-2)

 MICAST/CETSOL (Microstructure Formation in Casting of Technical 

Alloys under Diffusive and Magnetically Controlled Convective 

Conditions/Columnar-to-Equiaxed Transition in Solidification 

Processing)

 Ambient hardware return with samples (9kg)

 Other  Supporting research hardware such as Combustion Integrated Rack 

(CIR) and Active Rack Isolation (ARIS) components, double cold bags, 

MSG Tapes

Systems Hardware 760 pounds (345 kilograms)

 Multifiltration Bed

 Fluids Control and Pump Assembly

 Iodine Compatible Water Containers

 JAXA Multiplexer

Spacewalk Hardware 86 pounds (39 kilograms)

 EMU hardware and gloves for previous 

crew members

Total Cargo Mass 1,367 pounds (620 kilograms)

 Total Mass Including Packaging 1,455 pounds (660 kilograms)

12
13
14
International Space Station Overview 

The International Space Station is an unprecedented achievement in global human endeavors to conceive, plan, build, operate and 

use a research platform in space. 

Almost as soon as the space station was habitable, researchers began using it to study the impact of microgravity and other space 

effects on several aspects of our daily lives. With more than 1,200 experiments completed on the station to date, the unique 

scientific platform continues to enable researchers from all over the world to put their talents to work on innovative experiments 

that could not be performed anywhere else. 

The space station represents the culmination of more than two decades of dedicated effort by a multinational team of agencies 

spanning Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States. While the various space agency partners may emphasize different 

aspects of research to achieve their goals in the use of space station, they are unified in using the space station to its full potential as 

a research platform for the betterment of humanity. 

The space station provides the first laboratory complex where gravity, a fundamental force on Earth, is virtually eliminated for 

extended periods. This ability to control the variable of gravity in experiments opens up unimaginable research possibilities. As a 

research outpost, the station is a test bed for future technologies and a laboratory for new, advanced industrial materials, 

communications technology, medical research, and more. 

In the areas of human health, telemedicine, education and observations from space, the station already has provided numerous 

benefits to human life on Earth. Vaccine development research, station-generated images that assist with disaster relief and 

farming, and education programs that inspire future scientists, engineers and space explorers are just some examples of research 

benefits, which are strengthening economies and enhancing the quality of life on Earth. 

Clearly visible with the naked eye in the night sky, the expansive International Space Station is a working laboratory orbiting 240 

statute miles (386.24 kilometers) above the Earth traveling at 17,500 miles per hour (32,410 kilometers per hour) and is home to an 

international crew. 

The most complex scientific and technological endeavor ever undertaken, the five supporting agencies represent 15 nations: the 

U.S., Canada, Japan, Russia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and 

the United Kingdom. 

On-orbit assembly began in November 1998 with the 

launch of its first module, Zarya, and was completed 

with the departure of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on 

the program’s final flight in June 2011. The station is 

as large as a five-bedroom home with two 

bathrooms, a gymnasium and a 360-degree bay 

window, and provides crew members with more 

than 33,000 cubic feet (935 cubic meters) of 

habitable volume. The station weighs nearly 1 million 

pounds (419,600 kilograms) and measures 361 feet 

(110.03 meters) end to end, which is equivalent to a 

U.S. football field including the end zones. The 

station’s solar panels exceed the wingspan of a 

Boeing 777 jetliner and harness enough energy from 

the sun to provide electrical power to all station 

components and scientific experiments. 

 

15
The station now includes the Russian-built Zarya, Zvezda, Pirs, Poisk and Rassvet modules; the U.S.-built Unity, Harmony connection 

modules, the Quest airlock module, the Tranquility module and 360-degree-view Tranquility module and the Permanent 

Multipurpose Module. Research facilities populate the U.S. Destiny Laboratory, the European Columbus Laboratory, and the 

Japanese Kibo laboratory and external experiment platform. The Canadian-provided Canadarm2 robotic arm and its Mobile Servicing 

System give the station a movable space crane, and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, provides a smaller twoarmed robot capable of handling delicate assembly tasks. This space cherry-picker can move along the Integrated Truss Structure, 

forms the backbone of the station, and connects the station’s solar arrays, cooling radiators and spare part platforms. 

The station’s first resident crew, Expedition 1, marked the beginning of a permanent international human presence in space, arriving 

at the station in a Russian Soyuz capsule in November 2000. For almost a dozen years, station crews have provided a continuous 

human presence in space, with crews averaging six months at a time through the current 30th expedition. 

With the assembly of the space station at its completion and the support of a full-time crew of six, a new era of utilization for 

research is beginning. During the space station assembly phase, the potential benefits of space-based research and development 

were demonstrated, including the advancement of scientific knowledge based on experiments conducted in space, development 

and testing of new technologies, and derivation of Earth applications from new understanding. 

The space station also is a vital precursor for future human exploration, where humans are learning how to combat the 

psychological and physiological effects of being in space for long periods, conducting both fundamental and applied research, testing 

technologies and decision-making processes. 

The 2005 NASA Authorization Act designated the U.S. segment of the space station as a national laboratory. As the Nation's only 

national laboratory on-orbit, the space station National Lab fosters relationships among NASA, other federal entities, and the private 

sector, and advances science, technology, engineering and mathematics education through utilization of the space station's unique 

capabilities as a permanent microgravity platform with exposure to the space environment. NASA's research goals for the space 

station are driven by the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 and are focused on the following four areas: human health and 

exploration, technology testing for enabling future exploration, research in basic life and physical sciences, and earth and space 

science. 

The International Space Station Program’s greatest accomplishment is as much a human achievement as it is a technological one—

how best to plan, coordinate, and monitor the varied activities of the Program’s many organizations. The program brings together 

international flight crews; multiple launch vehicles; globally distributed launch, operations, training, engineering, and development 

facilities; communications networks; and the international scientific research community. 

Elements launched from different countries and continents are not mated together until they reach orbit, and some elements that 

have been launched later in the assembly sequence were not yet built when the first elements were placed in orbit. 

Construction, assembly and operation of the International Space Station requires the support of facilities on the Earth managed by 

all of the international partner agencies and countries involved in the program. These include construction facilities, launch support 

and processing facilities, mission operations support facilities, research and technology development facilities and communications 

facilities. 

Operating the space station is even more complicated than other space flight endeavors because it is an international program. Each 

partner has the primary responsibility to manage and run the hardware it provides. The addition of commercial partners as 

providers of resupply and, in the future, crew transportation services, adds a new dimension to this complexity. 

16
NASAfacts

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Commercial Orbital Transportation Services

Overview

Through a revolutionary program begun in 2006, 

NASA is investing fi nancial and technical resources 

to stimulate efforts within the private sector to 

develop and demonstrate safe, reliable and costeffective space transportation capabilities. This 

initiative is helping spur the innovation and development of new spacecraft and launch vehicles from 

commercial industry, creating a new way of delivering cargo to low-Earth orbit and the International 

Space Station (ISS).

As NASA sets its sights on exploring once again 

beyond low-Earth orbit, the ability of the private 

sector to provide routine access to space and the 

ISS is of vital importance. NASA’s Commercial 

Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program is 

the catalyst for this expanding new industry.

Under COTS, NASA is helping commercial partners develop and demonstrate their own cargo 

space transportation capabilities to serve the U.S. 

Government and other potential customers. The 

companies lead and direct their own efforts, with 

NASA providing technical and fi nancial assistance. 

NASA is investing approximately $800M toward 

cargo space transportation demonstrations. A 

unique aspect of the COTS program is that the 

companies are paid incrementally as they reach 

certain milestones. This encourages steady progress toward their goals and reduces costs to NASA 

since the commercial partners are also investing 

company resources.

COTS was created with four different capabilities 

that companies could pursue:

• Capability A: External/unpressurized cargo 

delivery and disposal

• Capability B: Internal/pressurized cargo delivery 

and disposal

• Capability C: Internal/pressurized cargo delivery 

and return

• Capability D: Crew transportation (currently not 

funded under COTS)

Two companies have funded COTS agreements with 

NASA: Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) 

and Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital). Since 

their competitive selection, both have been working 

vigorously to develop technologies and capabilities 

to complete orbital space fl ight demonstrations. The 

ISS Program has already purchased future cargo 

delivery services from both companies to resupply 

the space station through 2015.

An artist’s depiction of Orbital’s 

COTS Cygnus spacecraft 

approaching the 

International 

Space Station.

An artist’s depiction of a SpaceX 

COTS Dragon spacecraft 

approaching the International 

Space Station.

SpaceX Image

Orbital Image

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Orbital Sciences 

Corporation

Just 100 miles up the coast from 

where the Wright brothers fi rst 

fl ew their airplane at Kitty Hawk, 

North Carolina, Orbital plans to 

launch its new COTS system 

at the Mid-Atlantic Regional 

Spaceport (MARS), located at 

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility 

in Virginia. Founded in 1982, 

Orbital’s COTS system design 

is based on the new Antares 

rocket with a liquid oxygen 

(LOX)/kerosene (RP-1) fi rst stage 

powered by two Aerojet AJ-26 

engines. The Antares second 

stage uses ATK’s Castor 30 

solid-propellant motor derived 

from its fl ight-proven Castor 

120. The spacecraft, known 

as Cygnus, is derived from 

Orbital’s heritage DAWN and 

STAR projects and ISS cargo 

carriers. After delivering cargo 

to ISS, Cygnus destructively 

reenters Earth’s atmosphere.

Space Exploration 

Technologies

At Florida’s Cape Canaveral, 

within sight of the launch locations 

of every NASA human spacefl ight 

mission to date, SpaceX will 

launch its Falcon 9 and Dragon 

spacecraft. Founded in 2002, 

SpaceX has designed these 

systems from the ground up using 

the best of modern technology. 

The Falcon 9, which will launch 

the Dragon to low-Earth orbit, 

uses SpaceX-designed Merlin 

LOX/RP-1 engines, with nine 

in the fi rst stage and one in 

the second stage. The Dragon 

spacecraft is designed to carry 

cargo to ISS and return cargo 

to Earth. In December 2010, 

during the fi rst COTS fl ight, 

SpaceX became the fi rst private 

company to successfully return 

a spacecraft from Earth orbit.

Cargo Spacecraft Orbital Cygnus SpaceX Dragon

Height 5.1 m 5.9 m 

Diameter 3.05 m 3.66 m

Maximum Pressurized Cargo

 Up Mass / Volume 1,700 kg / 18.75 m3 3,310 kg / 6.8 m3

 Down Mass / Volume 2,000 kg / 18.75 m3 disposed 2,500 kg / 6.8 m3

Maximum Unpressurized Cargo

 Up Mass / Volume 0 3,310 kg / 14 m3

 Down Mass / Volume 0 2,600 kg / 14 m3 disposed

Refl ects proposed confi gurations of the early resupply missions to the International Space Station.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center 

Houston, Texas 77058

www.nasa.gov

FS-2012-04-014B-JSC

An artist’s depiction of the Orbital Antares 

rocket on the MARS launch pad at 

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Va. 

An image of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket 

Orbital Image on Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral, Fla. SpaceX Image

Launch Vehicle Orbital Antares SpaceX Falcon 9

Height 40.1 m 48.1 m

Diameter 3.90 m 3.66 m

Mass at Launch 275,000 kg 313,000 kg

Payload to International Space Station Orbit 5,200 kg 9,800 kg

First Stage

 Thrust 3.27 MN (735,000 lbs) 3.80 MN (854,000 lbs)

 Propellant LOX and RP-1 LOX and RP-1

Second Stage

 Thrust 322 kN (72,000 lbs) 414 kN (93,000 lbs)

 Propellant Solid propellant LOX and RP-1

By the Numbers

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SpaceX Company Overview 

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is an American company that designs, manufactures and launches American 

rockets and spacecraft. 

The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space transportation in order to eventually make it 

possible for people to live on other planets. Today, SpaceX is advancing the boundaries of space technology through its 

Falcon launch vehicles and Dragon spacecraft. 

The company’s prototype rocket, Falcon 1, was the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit. The 

more powerful Falcon 9 rocket debuted with back-to-back successful flights in June and December of 2010. The 

December flight included the first flight of the Dragon spacecraft, and SpaceX again made history by becoming the first 

commercial company to send a spacecraft to orbit and return it safely to Earth – a feat previously accomplished by three 

nations, the United States, Russia and China. 

Later this year, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft will take over the job of delivering cargo to and from the 

International Space Station under a $1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA for a minimum of 12 

missions. Although initially carrying cargo, Falcon 9 and Dragon were designed to one day carry astronauts, and cargo 

flights will provide valuable experience towards this goal. In April 2011, NASA awarded SpaceX a $75 million contract to 

prepare Dragon for transporting astronauts into space, and the company has already completed significant milestones 

as a part of that contract. 

SpaceX is producing the most advanced launch vehicles in the world, and the international launch market has responded 

-- commercial launches now represent over 60 percent of the company’s upcoming missions. In total, the company has 

approximately $4 billion in contracts and has more than 40 launches on its manifest. These successes have helped the 

company to be cash flow positive for the last five years. 

Looking to the future, SpaceX has announced its plans for Falcon Heavy, the most powerful rocket in the world, second 

only to the Apollo-era Saturn V. Falcon Heavy will be able to carry payloads weighing over 53 metric tons to orbit, 

offering more than twice the performance of other commercial launch vehicles, and will make possible missions that 

were previously unachievable. 

Long term, SpaceX is working towards the goal of building vehicles that are fully and rapidly reusable, a key element to 

radically reducing the cost of spaceflight in order to truly revolutionize space exploration. Dragon is a reusable 

spacecraft, and SpaceX is working to develop 

the world’s first fully reusable launch vehicle.

SpaceX is a private company owned by 

management and employees, with minority 

investments from Founders Fund, Draper 

Fisher Jurvetson, and Valor Equity Partners. 

The company has over 1,700 employees at 

its headquarters in Hawthorne, CA; launch 

facilities at the Cape Canaveral Air Force 

Station and Vandenberg Air Force Base; 

rocket development facility in McGregor, TX; 

and offices in Chantilly, VA, and Washington, 

DC. 

For more information, visit 

www.SpaceX.com. 

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SpaceX Leadership 

ELON MUSK 

Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Designer 

Elon Musk is the chief executive officer and chief designer of Space Exploration 

Technologies (SpaceX), which develops rockets and spacecraft for missions to Earth 

orbit and beyond. Musk served as chief engineer for Falcon 1, the first privately 

developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit, as well as Falcon 9 and the Dragon 

spacecraft. In 2008, SpaceX won a NASA contract to replace the cargo transport 

function of the space shuttle with Falcon 9 and Dragon. NASA decided in 2010 to also 

entrust the commercial sector with astronaut transport. F9/Dragon is considered by 

many to be the leading system for that role. 

Musk’s other primary activity is serving as CEO and product architect of Tesla Motors, 

where he has overseen product development and design from the beginning, including 

design of the all-electric Tesla Roadster and Model S sedan. Musk is also the nonexecutive chairman of SolarCity, the leading provider of solar power systems in 

California. Prior to SpaceX, Musk co-founded PayPal, the world's leading Internet payment system, and served as the 

company's chairman and CEO. Before PayPal, Musk co-founded Zip2, a provider of Internet software to the media 

industry. 

In 2007, Musk was recognized for his work by Research and Development magazine, receiving its Innovator of the Year 

Award. He received the 2007/2008 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics award for his contribution to the 

field of space transportation. In 2008, Musk was named one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century by 

Esquire magazine and received the Aviation Week 2008 Laureate for the most significant achievement in the space 

industry. In 2009, the National Space Society awarded Musk its Von Braun Trophy, given for leadership of the most 

significant achievement in space. In 2010, Musk was recognized as a Living Legend in Aviation by the Kitty Hawk 

Foundation for creating the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft. Most recently, Musk was awarded the $250,000 

Heinlein Prize for his significant and practical contributions to the commercialization of space. 

Musk has a physics degree from the University of Pennsylvania along with a business degree from Wharton, and he 

currently serves as a member of the Stanford University Engineering Advisory Board. 

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GWYNNE SHOTWELL 

President 

Gwynne Shotwell is president of SpaceX, responsible for day-to-day operations and 

for managing all customer and strategic relations to support company growth. She 

joined SpaceX in 2002 as Vice President of Business Development and built the 

Falcon vehicle family manifest to over 40 launches, representing over $3 billion in 

revenue. Shotwell is a member of the SpaceX Board of Directors. 

Prior to joining SpaceX, Shotwell spent more than ten years at the Aerospace 

Corporation. There she held positions in space systems engineering & technology, 

as well as project management. She was promoted to the role of chief engineer of 

an MLV-class satellite program, managed a landmark study for the Federal Aviation 

Administration on commercial space transportation, and completed an extensive analysis of space policy for NASA’s 

future investment in space transportation. Shotwell was subsequently recruited to be director of Microcosm’s Space 

Systems Division, where she served on the executive committee and directed corporate business development. 

In 2004, she was elected statewide to the California Space Authority Board of Directors and served on its executive 

committee. She has also served as an officer of the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee. Shotwell participates in a 

variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)-related programs, including the Frank J. Redd 

Student Scholarship Competition; under her leadership the committee raised over $350,000 in scholarships in six years. 

Shotwell received, with honors, her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University in mechanical 

engineering and applied mathematics. She has authored dozens of papers on a variety of subjects, including 

standardizing spacecraft/payload interfaces, conceptual small spacecraft design, infrared signature target modeling, 

shuttle integration, and reentry vehicle operational risks. 

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SpaceX Launch Manifest 

SpaceX is producing the most advanced launch vehicles in the world, and the international launch market has responded. Today 

SpaceX has approximately $4 billion in contracts and commercial launches now represent over 60 percent of our upcoming missions. 

Customer Vehicle Arrival at Launch Site Vehicle Launch Site

NASA COTS 2/3 2011 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

ORBCOMM - Multiple 

Flights

2012-2014 Multiple Cape Canaveral

MDA Corp. (Canada) 2012 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 1

2012 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 2

2012 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

Falcon Heavy Demo Flight 2012 Falcon Heavy Vandenberg

SES (Europe) 2013 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

Thaicom (Thailand) 2013 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 3

2013 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 4

2013 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

NSPO (Taiwan) 2013 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

AsiaSat 2014 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

AsiaSat 2014 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 5

2014 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 6

2014 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 7

2014 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

Space Systems/Loral 2014 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

CONAE (Argentina) 2014 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

DragonLab Mission 1 2014 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

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SpaceX Launch Manifest (cont.)

Customer Vehicle Arrival at Launch Site Vehicle Launch Site

Asia Broadcast 

Satellite/Satmex

2014 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

Spacecom (Israel) 2015 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 8

2015 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 9

2015 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 10

2015 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

Bigelow Aerospace 2015 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

DragonLab Mission 2 2015 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

SES (Europe) 2015 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

CONAE (Argentina) 2015 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

Iridium – Flight 1 2015 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

Iridium – Flight 2 2015 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

Iridium – Flight 3 2015 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 11

2015 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

NASA Resupply to ISS –

Flight 12

2015 F9/Dragon Cape Canaveral

Asia Broadcast 

Satellite/Satmex

2015 Falcon 9 Cape Canaveral

Iridium – Flight 4 2016 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

Iridium – Flight 5 2016 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

Iridium – Flight 6 2016 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

Iridium – Flight 7 2017 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

Iridium – Flight 8 2017 Falcon 9 Vandenberg

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SpaceX Facilities 

SPACE LAUNCH COMPLEX 40, CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION 

Cape Canaveral, FL 

Set on the Atlantic coast of Florida, the SpaceX 

launch pad is located only three and a half miles 

southeast of NASA's space shuttle launch site. 

Before SpaceX moved in, Space Launch Complex 40 

(SLC-40) was used by the U.S. Air Force for many 

years to launch Titan rockets, which are among the 

most powerful rockets in the U.S. fleet. Fifty-five 

Titan III and Titan IV rockets launched from the site 

from 1965 to 2005. SpaceX took over the facility in 

November 2007 and became the first purely 

commercial launch program at Cape Canaveral. 

On June 4, 2010, SpaceX successfully launched the 

Falcon 9 rocket for the first time from SLC-40. Six 

months later, on December 8, 2010, the company 

made history again with the first launch of the 

Dragon spacecraft, the first private spacecraft to successfully return to Earth from orbit. With plans to launch 10 to 12 

missions per year in support of NASA space station resupply and commercial satellite customers, SpaceX is building on 

the strong heritage of Cape Canaveral. 

SPACEX HEADQUARTERS 

Hawthorne, CA 

Vehicles are designed and manufactured at SpaceX headquarters in 

Hawthorne, CA, which is also home to mission control. 

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ROCKET DEVELOPMENT FACILITY 

McGregor, TX

Engines and structures are tested at a 600-acre state-of-the-art 

Rocket Development Facility in McGregor, Texas. 

 

SPACE LAUNCH COMPLEX 4E, VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE 

Near Lompoc, CA 

In addition to Cape Canaveral, SpaceX is developing a new launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base. 

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Dragon Overview 

QUICK FACTS 

Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft developed using the best of 21st century technology by SpaceX under NASA's 

Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. Dragon is made up of a pressurized capsule that will carry 

pressurized cargo on this mission and an unpressurized trunk that houses its solar panels and can be used to carry 

unpressurized cargo. 

 Dragon represents the best of cutting-edge 

technology. SpaceX developed Dragon from a 

blank sheet to its first mission in just over 4 years. 

 In December 2010, Dragon became the first 

privately developed spacecraft to return safely 

from orbit – a feat previously achieved by just 

three nations (the United States, Russia, and 

China). 

 Dragon is 4.4 meters (14.4 feet) tall and 3.66 

meters (12 feet) in diameter. The trunk is 2.8 

meters (9.2 feet) tall and 3.66 meters (12 feet) 

wide. With the solar panels fully extended, the 

vehicle measures 16.5 meters (54 feet) wide. 

 Although this demonstration mission carries only 

cargo, Dragon was designed from the outset with 

crew- carrying capability in mind; SpaceX is in the 

process of developing necessary systems for 

transporting crew, such as seating, a launch 

escape system, and environmental control and 

life support systems. 

 Dragon has the most powerful heat shield in the 

world; designed in cooperation with NASA, it is 

made of a material called PICA-X, a highperformance variant on NASA’s original Phenolic 

Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA). 

 Dragon is capable of carrying over 3,310 

kilograms, split between pressurized cargo inside 

the capsule and unpressurized cargo carried in 

the trunk. 

 While this mission is carrying cargo only, future 

Dragon missions will be capable of carrying 7 

passengers in the crew configuration. 

 Designed for lift during reentry for precise 

landing and low g-forces. 

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DRAGON HIGHLIGHTS 

Exceptional Technology, Exceptional Spacecraft 

Draco Thrusters: 

Eighteen Draco thrusters used for orbital maneuvering and attitude control (providing system redundancy). Powered by 

nitrogen tetroxide / monomethylhydrazine (NTO/MMH) storable propellants; 90 lbf (400 N) thrust used for on-orbit 

maneuvering, de-orbit burns, and re-entry attitude. 

Power: 

Two solar array wings on trunk (8 panels total). 

Avionics: 

Two-fault tolerant avionics system with extensive heritage. 

Communications: 

 Communications between Dragon and the 

ISS are provided by COTS UHF 

Communications Unit (CUCU). CUCU was 

delivered to the Space Station on STS-129. 

 ISS crew command Dragon using the Crew 

Command Panel (CCP). 

 Dragon can also communicate on S-band via 

either tracking and data relay system 

(TDRSS) 

or ground stations. 

Environmental Control System: 

Astronauts will enter Dragon to remove cargo. 

 Provides a habitable cabin: Air circulation, 

fire detection and suppression, lights. 

 Pressure control, pressure and humidity 

monitoring. 

Thermal Protection System:

 Primary heat shield: Tiled Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA), fabricated in-house. 

 Backshell: SpaceX Proprietary Ablative Material (SPAM). 

Transporting Crew: 

To ensure a rapid transition from cargo to crew, SpaceX has designed the cargo and crew configurations to be nearly 

identical, with notable exceptions including the need for a crew escape system, the life support system, and onboard 

controls that allow the crew to take control from the flight computer when needed. This focus on commonality 

minimizes the design effort and simplifies the human- rating process, allowing systems critical to Dragon crew safety and 

ISS safety to be fully tested on unmanned demonstration flights and cargo resupply missions. 

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Falcon 9 Overview 

QUICK FACTS 

 Made in America: All structures, engines, avionics, and ground systems designed, manufactured and tested in the 

United States by SpaceX. 

 Falcon 9 with a Dragon spacecraft is 48.1 meters (157 feet) tall. The vehicle from the COTS 2 flight is capable of 

producing one million pounds of thrust in a vacuum. 

 Cutting-edge technology makes Falcon 9 the vehicle of choice for commercial and government customers. SpaceX 

has approximately 40 Falcon 9 missions on the manifest. 

 Named for the Star Wars Millennium Falcon; 9 refers to the nine Merlin engines that power the first stage; one 

Merlin vacuum engine powers the second stage. 

 Designed from day one to safely carry crew. 

 Achieved 100% mission success on its first two flights (June 2010 and December 2010). 

 The first rocket completely designed in the 21st century; developed from a blank sheet to first launch in four-and-ahalf years (November 2005 to June 2010) for less than $300 million. 

 Advanced design for maximum reliability. Falcon 9 features a simple two-stage design to limit separation events, and 

with nine engines on the first stage, it can still safely complete its mission in the event of an engine failure. The main 

causes of launch failures are stage separation events and engine failures. 

FALCON 9 ROCKET 

Exceptional Technology, Exceptional Vehicle 

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket powered by liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene (RP1). It was designed from the ground up by SpaceX for the reliable and cost-efficient 

transport of satellites to low Earth orbit and geosynchronous transfer orbit, and for 

sending SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, including manned missions, to orbiting destinations 

such as the International Space Station. 

Falcon 9 saw its first successful launch on June 4, 2010, and its second on December 8, 

2010. 

First Stage 

The Falcon 9 tank walls are made from an aluminum lithium alloy. SpaceX manufactures 

the tanks using friction-stir welding, the strongest and most reliable welding technique 

available. Nine SpaceX Merlin regeneratively cooled engines power the Falcon 9 first 

stage. After ignition of the first-stage engines, the Falcon 9 is held down and not released 

for flight until all propulsion and vehicle systems are confirmed to be operating 

nominally. The interstage, which connects the upper and lower stages for Falcon 9, is a 

composite structure with an aluminum honeycomb core and carbon fiber face sheets. 

Falcon 9 uses an all-pneumatic stage separation system proven on its predecessor, Falcon 

1.

Second Stage 

The second stage tank of Falcon 9 is simply a shorter version of the first-stage tank and 

uses most of the same tooling, material and manufacturing techniques. This results in 

significant cost savings in vehicle production. A single Merlin engine powers the Falcon 9 

upper stage. For added reliability of restart, the engine has dual redundant pyrophoric 

igniters using triethylaluminum-triethylborane (TEA-TEB). 

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MERLIN ENGINE 

Falcon 9 is powered by nine Merlin engines in the first stage and one in the second stage. The nine Merlin engines 

generate one million pounds of thrust in vacuum. The Merlin engine was developed internally at SpaceX, but draws 

upon a long heritage of space proven engines. The pintle-style injector at the heart of Merlin was first used in the Apollo 

program for the lunar module landing engine, one of the most critical phases of the mission. 

Propellant is fed via a single-shaft, dual-impeller turbopump operating on a gas generator cycle. The turbopump also 

provides the high pressure kerosene for the hydraulic actuators, which then recycles into the low-pressure inlet. This 

design approach eliminates the need for a separate hydraulic power system and means that thrust vector control failure 

by running out of hydraulic fluid is not possible. A third use of the turbopump is to provide roll control by actuating the 

turbine exhaust nozzle (on the second-stage engine). 

Combining three functions into one device that can be verified as functioning before the vehicle is allowed to lift off 

provides a significant improvement in system-level reliability.

Reliability 

Before the spacecraft even reaches orbit, Falcon 9 must once again perform successfully. Of the world’s current launch 

vehicle families, 75% have had at least one failure in the first three flights. 

 

An analysis of launch failure history between 1980 and 1999 by Aerospace Corporation showed that 91% of known 

failures can be attributed to three causes: engine failures, stage separation failures and, to a much lesser degree, 

avionics failures. With nine Merlin engines clustered together to make up the first stage, the vehicle is capable of 

sustaining an engine failure and still successfully completing its mission. This is an improved version of the architecture 

employed by the Saturn V and Saturn I rockets of the Apollo Program, which had flawless flight records despite losing 

engines on a number of missions. With only two stages, Falcon 9 limits problems associated with separation events. 

And SpaceX has an incredibly advanced avionics system. 

SpaceX uses a hold-before-release system — a capability required by commercial airplanes, but not implemented on 

many launch vehicles. After the first-stage engine ignites, the Falcon 9 is held down and not released for flight until all 

propulsion and vehicle systems are confirmed to be operating normally. An automatic safe shut-down occurs and 

propellant is unloaded if any issues are detected. 

30
Vision: The World's Premier Gateway to Space 

Mission: One Team ... Delivering Assured Space Launch, Range 

and Combat Capabilities for the Nation 

Leadership/Organization 

Wing Leadership: The 45th Space Wing is commanded by Brig. 

Gen. Anthony J. Cotton. 

Groups: The wing is organized into four groups to accomplish 

its mission: 

 Launch Group: Supports launch vehicle and spacecraft 

processing from flight hardware arrival through launch. 

 Operations Group: Operates and maintains the Eastern 

Range assets and responsible for airfield operations, weather and communication support. 

 Mission Support Group: Provides support through various functions to the people and mission. 

 Medical Group: Provides medical, dental, environmental and public health services. 

At a Glance 

Commander: Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Cotton 

Number of Personnel: 9,477 

Annual Payroll: $306.3 million 

Number of Indirect Jobs Created: 4,797 

$ Value of Jobs Created: $204 million 

Annual Expenditures: $649.2 million 

Total Economic Impact (FY10): $1.142 billion 

# Airmen Deployed: Approximately 100+ 

Fleet: Atlas VI, Delta IV, Falcon 9, Trident II 

Satellites Processed: GPS, WGS, MILSTAR 

Eastern Range Size: 15 million square miles 

Next Scheduled Launch: www.patrick.af.mil 

Tenants/Mission Partners 

The 45th Space Wing has more than 35 major 

mission partners and tenants at Patrick AFB and 

Cape Canaveral AFS, including: 

 Defense Equality Opportunity Management 

Institute 

 Air Force Technical Applications Center 

 National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration 

 Naval Ordnance Test Unit 

 920th Rescue Wing 

 Joint Stars Task Force 

 Department of State 

 Air Force Office of Special Investigations 

 333rd Recruiting Squadron 

 American Red Cross 

Control of the Battlefield Begins Here! 

(Current as of October 2011) 

Point of contact: 45th Space Wing Public Affairs, 321-494-5933, 45swpa@patrick.af.mil 

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