Falcon 9 v1.1

Falcon 9 v1.1 was the second version of <a href="/facts/SpaceX/2tKHsVdJ">SpaceX</a>'s <a href="/facts/Falcon_9/mNck6vby">Falcon 9</a> <a href="/facts/Orbital_spaceflight/xdzKmkvt">orbital</a> <a href="/facts/Launch_vehicle/g1GCGFJB">launch vehicle</a>. The rocket was <a href="/facts/New_product_development/ogcXTIco">developed</a> in 2011–2013, made its <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_Flight_6/t5gtcgID">maiden launch</a> in September 2013, and its <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_Flight_21/Wh41Dcgb">final flight</a> in January 2016. The Falcon 9 rocket was fully designed, manufactured, and operated by SpaceX. Following the <a href="/facts/SpaceX_CRS-2/9eQsznVI">second</a> <a href="/facts/Commercial_Resupply_Services/TahzTN1Y">Commercial Resupply Services (CRS)</a> launch, the initial version <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_v1.0/Y1XbcEsn">Falcon 9 v1.0</a> was retired from use and replaced by the v1.1 version.
Falcon 9 v1.1 was a significant evolution from Falcon 9 v1.0, with 60 percent more thrust and weight. Its maiden flight carried out a demonstration mission with the <a href="/facts/CASSIOPE/t5gtcgID">CASSIOPE</a> satellite on 29 September 2013, the sixth overall launch of any Falcon 9.
Both stages of the <a href="/facts/Two-stage-to-orbit/rD0nmgs0">two-stage-to-orbit</a> vehicle used <a href="/facts/Liquid_oxygen/qnI0KDTb">liquid oxygen</a> (LOX) and <a href="/facts/RP-1/wDI7vNdu">rocket-grade kerosene</a> (RP-1) propellants. The Falcon 9 v1.1 could lift payloads of 13,150 kilograms (28,990 lb) to <a href="/facts/Low_Earth_orbit/rq1TwayJ">low Earth orbit</a>, and 4,850 kilograms (10,690 lb) to <a href="/facts/Geostationary_transfer_orbit/1WwL0SPz">geostationary transfer orbit</a>, which places the Falcon 9 design in the <a href="/facts/Comparison_of_medium_lift_launch_systems/lYXwEPwC">medium-lift</a> range of launch systems.
Beginning in April 2014, the <a href="/facts/SpaceX_Dragon_1/oduVLMWr">Dragon capsules</a> were propelled by Falcon 9 v1.1 to deliver cargo to the International Space Station under the <a href="/facts/Commercial_Resupply_Services/TahzTN1Y">Commercial Resupply Services</a> contract with NASA. This version was also intended to ferry astronauts to the ISS under a NASA <a href="/facts/Commercial_Crew_Development/zzwrbnDF">Commercial Crew Development</a> contract signed in September 2014. However, SpaceX ended up using the upgraded <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_Block_5/0QqsLwWb">Falcon 9 Block 5</a> version instead for all <a href="/facts/Crew_Dragon/Wy8kUegK">Crew Dragon</a> missions.
Falcon 9 v1.1 was notable for pioneering the <a href="/facts/SpaceX_reusable_launch_system_development_program/kuah4fl8">development of reusable rockets</a>, whereby SpaceX gradually refined technologies for first-stage boostback, <a href="/facts/Atmospheric_re-entry/p7TMk9sa">atmospheric re-entry</a>, <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_first-stage_landing_tests/rtYrXAhS">controlled descent and eventual propulsive landing</a>. This last goal was achieved on the first flight of the successor variant <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_Full_Thrust/L5HWctap">Falcon 9 Full Thrust</a>, after several near-successes with Falcon 9 v1.1.

Falcon 9 v1.1 open-in-new

Falcon 9 v1.1