The Falcon V Medium Lift Launch Vehicle

Falcon-V is a medium class launch vehicle under development by Space Exploration Technologies. It is a two-stage vehicle, capable to launch 6000 kg into a circular, 200 km altitude orbit with 28.5 degree inclination; 4400 kg into a 700 km sun-synchronous orbit and up to 1920 kg into geo-synchronous orbit. The engines are based on the first stage engine of the Falcon-1 vehicle; Falcon-1 will be launched in the next few months from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Five engines on the first stage provide engine-out capability; FalconV is designed to be extremely reliable with triple redundant avionics. Re-using many components and subsystems from Falcon-1 allows Space Exploration Technologies to lower the cost of the vehicle and reduce the development time. Falcon-V will provide launch services in the medium weight category for an extremely competitive price beginning in 2006.