Hawthorne, CA – Space Exploration Technologies
(SpaceX) announces that its Merlin 1D engine has achieved a full mission
duration firing and multiple restarts at target thrust and specific
impulse (Isp).
The engine firing was for 185 seconds with 147,000
pounds of thrust, the full duration and power required for a Falcon 9
rocket launch. The tests took place at SpaceX's rocket development
facility in McGregor, Texas.
"This is another important milestone in our efforts
to push the boundaries of space technology,” said SpaceX CEO and Chief
Designer Elon Musk. “With the Merlin 1D powering the Falcon 9 and Falcon
Heavy rockets, SpaceX will be capable of
carrying a full range of payloads to orbit.”
The Merlin 1D builds on the proven technology of
the Merlin engines used on the first three flights of Falcon 9,
including the recent historic mission to the International Space
Station.
With nine Merlins on the first stage, the Falcon 9
rocket will produce nearly 1.5 million pounds of thrust in a vacuum. An
enhanced design makes the Merlin 1D the most efficient booster engine
ever built, with a vacuum thrust-to-weight
ratio exceeding 150, while still maintaining the structural and thermal
safety margins needed to carry astronauts.
Additionally, as SpaceX continues to fulfill an
extensive manifest of launches, the new engine is designed for improved
manufacturability by using higher efficiency processes, increased
robotic construction and reduced parts count.
The Merlin 1D engines will first see flight on Falcon 9 Flight 6, expected to launch in 2013.
VIDEO AND PHOTO CREDIT: SpaceX
