As one the front runners to ferry US astronauts to space under NASA’s new plans, SpaceX is under pressure as it prepares for the first launch of its Falcon 9 rocket in the coming weeks. However, safety features such as a “handbrake” make the rocket safer than many of its predecessors
The first launch of Falcon 9 could change the course of human space flight. NASA has voiced support for using private rockets as “space taxis”, ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. No one will ride on this Falcon 9 flight, but failure will encourage congressional opposition to NASA’s plan.
(Image: SpaceX)
Talk about nine lives. With nine engines on the first stage, Falcon 9 can reach orbit even if one or more fails. It is the first rocket since the Saturn 5 moon rocket to have this capability, according to SpaceX.
(Image: SpaceX)
Falcon 9 incorporates safety features to avoid problems that have plagued other rockets. Like a car’s handbrake, “mount towers” grip the base of the rocket after it ignites while systems are checked. This allows problems to be identified on the ground that otherwise could pose a danger to crew mid-flight.
(Image: SpaceX)
Unlike other rockets, Falcon 9’s upper and lower stages do not use explosive bolts to separate mid-flight. Instead, the rocket uses a pneumatic separation system, which can be tested on the ground. Explosive bolts can only be fired once, so engineers can never be completely sure that they will work at the crucial moment.
(Image: SpaceX)
