Falcon 9 Flight 10

Falcon 9 Flight 10 is a Falcon 9 space launch that occurred on July 14, 2014. It was the fifth launch of the Falcon 9 v1.1 launch vehicle and carried six Orbcomm OG2 telecommunication satellites. All six 172-kilogram-mass (379 lb) satellites were successfully deployed.

Following the first stage loft of the second stage and payload on its orbital trajectory, SpaceX conducted a successful flight test on the spent first stage that received considerable news attention. In the event, the first stage successfully decelerated from hypersonic speed in the upper atmosphere, made a successful reentry, landing burn, and deployment of its landing legs and touched down on the ocean surface. The first stage was not recovered however as the hull integrity was breached on landing or on the subsequent "tip over and body slam".

History

This launch schedule was particularly problematic and was delayed several times, with success on the fourth scheduled launch attempt on July 14, 2014.

Earlier launch attempts were:

• delayed by SpaceX due to a first stage helium leak
• delayed by Orbcomm due to a potential defect in one of their satellites. On June 20 a launch attempt was scrubbed due to a fluctuation in pressure readings on the second stage.
• delayed one day by weather on June 21 when the launch window was closed due to poor weather conditions on the flight trajectory through the lower atmosphere
• the June 22 attempt was scrubbed by SpaceX to address a potential concern with the launch vehicle identified during pre-flight checks.

Payloads

Payload	Operator	Function	Manufacturer	Bus type	Mass (kg)	Remarks
Orbcomm FM103	Orbcomm	Communications	Sierra Nevada	SN-100A	172 kg (379 lb)
Orbcomm FM104	Orbcomm	Communications	Sierra Nevada	SN-100A	172 kg (379 lb)
Orbcomm FM106	Orbcomm	Communications	Sierra Nevada	SN-100A	172 kg (379 lb)
Orbcomm FM107	Orbcomm	Communications	Sierra Nevada	SN-100A	172 kg (379 lb)
Orbcomm FM109	Orbcomm	Communications	Sierra Nevada	SN-100A	172 kg (379 lb)
Orbcomm FM111	Orbcomm	Communications	Sierra Nevada	SN-100A	172 kg (379 lb)

Objects cataloged

COSPAR ID SATCAT Name Type Perigee Apogee Semi-major axis Eccentricity Inclination Period Epoch Decay Remarks 2014-040A 40086 Orbcomm FM109 Communications satellite 705 km (438 mi) 726 km (451 mi) 47.0° 99.1 min 2016-04-01 2014-040B 40087 Orbcomm FM107 Communications satellite 698 km (434 mi) 733 km (455 mi) 47.0° 99.1 min 2016-04-01 2014-040C 40088 Orbcomm FM106 Communications satellite 700 km (430 mi) 731 km (454 mi) 47.0° 99.1 min 2016-04-01 2014-040D 40089 Orbcomm FM111 Communications satellite 615 km (382 mi) 665 km (413 mi) 47.0° 97.5 min 2016-04-01 2014-040E 40090 Orbcomm FM104 Communications satellite 703 km (437 mi) 728 km (452 mi) 47.0° 99.1 min 2016-04-01 2014-040F 40091 Orbcomm FM103 Communications satellite 706 km (439 mi) 726 km (451 mi) 47.0° 99.1 min 2016-04-01

Payload   Spent stage   Debris   Miscatalogued

Post-mission launch vehicle testing

Main article: SpaceX reusable launch system development program

In an arrangement unusual for launch vehicles, the first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket conducted a propulsive-return over-water test after the second stage with the Orbcomm OG2 payload separated from the booster.

This was the third high-altitude post-mission test of this type, after the first test on Falcon 9 Flight 6 in September 2013, and a second test in April 2014. The April test resulted in the first successful controlled ocean soft touchdown of a liquid-rocket-engine orbital booster and included landing legs for the first time which were extended for the simulated "landing".

See also

• List of Falcon 9 launches

External links

• SpaceX Press Kit: ORBCOMM OG2 Mission 1, May 2014.
• Falcon 9 First Stage Return : ORBCOMM Mission, SpaceX-released video of the controlled descent test (onboard camera), July 2014.
• Falcon 9 First Stage Reentry Footage from Plane, SpaceX-released video of the controlled descent test, as seen from a chase plane, Aug 2014.