Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

Forum:Space Places
Topic:Space Center Houston: SpaceX Falcon 9 stage
Want to register?
Who Can Post? Any registered users may post a reply.
About Registration You must be registered in order to post a topic or reply in this forum.
Your UserName:
Your Password:   Forget your password?
Your Reply:


*HTML is ON
*UBB Code is ON

Smilies Legend

Options Disable Smilies in This Post.
Show Signature: include your profile signature. Only registered users may have signatures.
*If HTML and/or UBB Code are enabled, this means you can use HTML and/or UBB Code in your message.

If you have previously registered, but forgotten your password, click here.

Robert PearlmancollectSPACE
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket debuts on display at Space Center Houston

You can now get up close, around and even under the first-ever commercial rocket to launch on two missions for NASA.

Space Center Houston, the visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas, is welcoming the public to see its newest exhibit — a "flight proven" SpaceX Falcon 9 booster. The rocket's first stage, still displaying the scorch and soot marks from its two launches, has been elevated off the ground and exhibited horizontally, affording a first-of-its-type view of a commercial spaceflight artifact.

ELinderThe article mentions silicone use for preservation. Is the whole stage covered to preserve the flight weathering, or will it be slowly replaced by weather weathering?
Robert PearlmanMy understanding is that the silicone was only applied to the areas on the stage where openings or joints would have allowed water intrusion. Space Center Houston will be inspecting the rocket on a regular basis, so action can be taken if and when needed.
SkyMan1958Looks like a fun exhibit to visit.

Given that SpaceX has their own Mission Control in California, and launches at Florida, why is the exhibit at Houston? I would have thought Florida would be the more logical stopping place.

Did SpaceX pick up at JSC a lot of the rocket technology that helped them start with Falcon 1 and early Falcon 9 efforts, or something of that sort?

Of course, given that SpaceX will almost certainly have other multi-flown Falcon 9 rockets lying around in the near future, I suspect they will donate one to the KSC visitor center in the not too distant future.

Robert PearlmanJessica Jensen with SpaceX addressed that question at the ribbon cutting today:
We've been working with NASA for years and when Space Center Houston approached us and asked us about having a flown Falcon 9 displayed here — first of all, I work in the Los Angeles office of SpaceX but I had come to Houston all the time, I've probably been here 30 times for work and I know all the iconic vehicles that are here, the history that was made here — so we were just flabbergasted and honored that they even asked us to send a Falcon 9 booster here.

I think having it sent here speaks to the testament of the partnership between SpaceX and NASA that has been going on for more than 10 years now. So we were really honored, happy and proud to be asked to have a booster here.

With regards to Florida, Elon Musk previously gifted SpaceX's first "flight-proven" booster to be launched and recovered for a second time to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There are no details though, as to where and when that rocket will go on display.
olySpaceX have a large collection of flown Falcon 9 first stage rockets stored on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, perhaps the KSC visitor centre may gain another addition to their rocket garden some time in the future.

It would be great to see three additional monuments added, a Falcon 9 launch vehicle with the Dragon capsule, a Falcon 9 with the Crew Dragon, and a Falcon Heavy. Perhaps one day.

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.





advertisement