The head of Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (AFSMC) said Space Exploration Technology Corp.’s (SpaceX) Falcon Heavy rocket certification progress depends on what the company provides from its Falcon 9 mishap investigation.
“It depends on what they provide us,” Air Force Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves told reporters in Washington July 28 when asked if Falcon Heavy certification was on hold pending the CRS-7 investigation. “We’re looking at whatever data SpaceX provides us.”
Greaves said SpaceX needs to get through its CRS-7 investigation, “then make some decisions,” before he knows if the company delaying its Falcon Heavy debut launch will affect its certification progress. Musk said the week of July 20 in a teleconference that SpaceX would delay Falcon Heavy’s first flight from this year to “maybe April” because the company was focusing on its Falcon 9 launch mishap investigation from late June. Musk, in the teleconference, warned the CRS-7 investigation was still in its preliminary stages.
Musk blamed a strut in the second stage liquid oxygen tank breaking free during flight. SpaceX is also delaying further Falcon 9 flights until at least September. The company’s website says Falcon Heavy’s first flight will take place this year.
Greaves said Falcon Heavy’s certification was underway since the service had received the company’s statement of interest. He said he meets on a bi-weekly basis with SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and sometimes Musk is present. Greaves said they discuss certification, the Falcon 9 upgrade and what’s to come with Falcon Heavy. Neither SpaceX nor the Air Force responded to additional requests for comment by press time July 28.
It took roughly two years for the Air Force to certify the Falcon 9 for launches under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. Shotwell testified to a House panel in March that she believed Falcon Heavy certification would take between 14-16 months, based on SpaceX’s experience certifying Falcon 9, which she said began in earnest in April 2014. The company started its Falcon 9 certification process in June 2013 by signing its Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The Air Force announced certification in June.
SpaceX says Falcon Heavy will be able to lift into orbit over 53 metric tons (117,000 pounds), equivalent to a 737 jetliner loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel. It will be composed of three Falcon 9 nine-engine cores, which will use 27 Merlin engines together to generate nearly 4 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.