View source for Falcon 1

{{short description|Expendable launch system by SpaceX}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox rocket
|image = Falcon 1 Flight 4 liftoff.jpg
|caption = Falcon 1 flight 4, the first successful launch of a privately developed, fully liquid-fueled rocket to enter orbit around the Earth.
|name = Falcon 1
|function = [[Small-lift launch vehicle]]
|manufacturer = [[SpaceX]]
|country-origin = United States
|cpl = US$7 million
|pcost = US$90 million

|derivatives    = [[Falcon 9 v1.0]]

|height = {{cvt|21|m|ftin}}
|diameter = {{cvt|1.7|m|ftin}}
|mass = {{cvt|28000|kg}}
|stages = 2
|capacities = 
  {{Infobox rocket/payload
  |location = [[Low Earth orbit|LEO]]
  |inclination   = 9.0 - 9.35°
  |kilos    = {{plainlist|
* '''Demonstrated (667 km orbit)''': {{cvt|180|kg}}
* '''Proposed (185 km orbit)''': {{cvt|670|kg}}<ref name="un20060101">{{cite book|publisher=International Astronautical Federation, United Nations. Office for Outer Space Affairs, International Institute of Space Law|title=Highlights in Space 2005: Progress in Space Science, Technology and Applications, International Cooperation and Space Law|date= 2006|isbn=978-9211009897|page=11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=SpaceX Falcon Data Sheet |url=https://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104191629/http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 4, 2013 |website=Space Launch Report |access-date=April 21, 2021}}</ref>
  }}}}
  {{Infobox rocket/payload
  |location = [[Sun synchronous orbit|SSO]]
  |kilos    = {{cvt|200|kg}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.georing.biz/usefull/Falcon1UsersGuide.pdf |title=Users Guide |publisher=www.georing.biz |date= |accessdate=March 11, 2021}}</ref>
  }}
|status = Retired<ref name="F1-retired">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/falcon1.php |title=Falcon 1 |publisher=Space Exploration Technologies Corporation |access-date=September 14, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118140101/http://www.spacex.com/falcon1.php |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 
|sites = [[Omelek Island]]
|launches = 5
|fail = 3
|partial = 
|success = 2
|first=March 24, 2006, 22:30&nbsp;[[UTC]]
|last= July 14, 2009, 03:35&nbsp;UTC
|stagedata    = 
  {{Infobox rocket/stage
  |type       = stage
  |stageno    = First
  |engines    = 1 × [[Merlin (rocket engine)|Merlin 1A]] (first 2 flights)<br /> 1 × [[Merlin (rocket engine)|Merlin 1C]] (final 3 flights)
  |thrust     = {{cvt|450|kN}}
  |SI         = {{cvt|255|isp}} at [[sea level]]
  |burntime   = 169 s
  |fuel       = [[RP-1]] / [[LOX]]
  }}
  {{Infobox rocket/stage
  |type       = stage
  |stageno    = Second
  |engines    = 1 × [[SpaceX Kestrel|Kestrel]]
  |thrust     = {{cvt|31|kN}}
  |SI         = {{cvt|327|isp}}
  |burntime   = 378 s
  |fuel       = [[RP-1]] / [[LOX]]
  }}
}}
{{Private spaceflight}}
'''Falcon 1''' was a [[two-stage]] [[small-lift launch vehicle]] that was operated from 2006 to 2009<ref name="st20130301">{{cite news |last=Engel |first=Max |date=March 1, 2013<!-- this is the PUBLICATION date of the newsstand issue; it came online on the internet by 15 Feb, but its stated date is 1 March 2013 --> |title=Launch Market on Cusp of Change |newspaper=Satellite Today |url=http://www.satellitetoday.com/via/satellitegetspersonal/Launch-Market-on-Cusp-of-Change_40648.html |url-status=dead |access-date=February 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218050904/http://www.satellitetoday.com/via/satellitegetspersonal/Launch-Market-on-Cusp-of-Change_40648.html |archive-date=February 18, 2013 |quote=''SpaceX is not the first private company to try to break through the commercial space launch market. The company, however, appears to be the real thing. Privately funded, it had a vehicle before it got money from NASA, and while NASA's space station resupply funds are a tremendous boost, SpaceX would have existed without it.''}}</ref> by [[SpaceX]], an American [[aerospace manufacturer]]. On September 28, 2008, Falcon 1 became the first [[private spaceflight|privately developed]] fully liquid-fueled launch vehicle to successfully reach orbit.<ref name="vance2015">
{{cite book|last1=Vance|first1=Ashlee|author-link=Ashlee Vance|title=Elon Musk : Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future|date=2015|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-230123-9|location=New York|page=<!-- use 'rp' template following to allow multiple reference -->}}</ref>{{rp|203}}<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Tariq Malik |date=September 29, 2008 |title=SpaceX Successfully Launches Falcon 1 Rocket Into Orbit |url=https://www.space.com/5905-spacex-successfully-launches-falcon-1-rocket-orbit.html |access-date=April 6, 2022 |website=Space.com |language=en}}</ref>

The Falcon 1 used [[liquid oxygen|LOX]]/[[RP-1]] for both stages, the first stage powered by a single pump-fed [[SpaceX Merlin|Merlin]] engine, and the second stage powered by SpaceX's pressure-fed [[SpaceX Kestrel|Kestrel]] vacuum engine.

The vehicle was launched a total of five times. After three failed launch attempts, Falcon 1 achieved orbit on its [[#Fourth flight|fourth attempt]] in September 2008 with a [[Ratsat|mass simulator]] as a payload. On July 14, 2009, Falcon 1 made its second successful flight, delivering the [[Malaysia]]n [[RazakSAT]] satellite to orbit on SpaceX's first commercial launch (fifth and final launch overall). 

While SpaceX had announced an enhanced variant, the [[Falcon 1e]],<ref name="F1-retired"/> following this flight, the Falcon 1 was retired in favor of the [[Falcon 9 v1.0]], the first version of the company’s successful and long-running [[Falcon 9]] launch vehicle.

== History ==

=== Private funding ===
The Falcon 1 rocket was developed with private funding.<ref name=usat20050617>
{{cite news |first=Kevin |last=Maney|url=https://www.usatoday.com/educate/college/careers/Entreps/6-17-05.htm |title=Private sector enticing public into final frontier |date=June 17, 2005 |publisher=USAToday.com}}</ref><ref name=wired20070522>
{{cite news|last=Hoffman|first=Carl|title=Elon Musk Is Betting His Fortune on a Mission Beyond Earth's Orbit|url=https://www.wired.com/science/space/magazine/15-06/ff_space_musk?currentPage=all|access-date=March 14, 2014|newspaper=Wired Magazine|date=May 22, 2007}}</ref> 
The only other orbital launch vehicles to be privately funded and developed were the [[Conestoga (rocket)|Conestoga]] in 1982; and [[Pegasus (rocket)|Pegasus]], first launched in 1990, which uses a large aircraft as its launch platform.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/release.asp?prid=603 | publisher=Orbital Sciences |title=Orbital Marks 25th Anniversary of Company's Founding | access-date=April 2, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517165416/http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/release.asp?prid=603 |archive-date=May 17, 2011}}</ref>

The total development cost of Falcon 1 was approximately US$90 million<ref name=nasa20110427>{{cite web |title=Commercial Market Assessment for Crew and Cargo Systems |url=http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Section403(b)CommercialMarketAssessmentReportFinal.pdf |website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA |access-date=June 10, 2015 |page=40 |date=April 27, 2011 |quote=''SpaceX has publicly indicated that the development cost for Falcon 9 launch vehicle was approximately $300 million. Additionally, approximately $90 million was spent developing the Falcon 1 launch vehicle which did contribute to some extent to the Falcon 9, for a total of $390 million. NASA has verified these costs.'' |archive-date=December 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207085554/http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Section403(b)CommercialMarketAssessmentReportFinal.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> to US$100 million.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Berger|first=Eric|title=Liftoff|publisher=[[William Morrow and Company]]|year=2021|isbn=978-0-06-297997-1|pages=215}}</ref> 

While the development of Falcon 1 was privately funded, the first two Falcon 1 launches were purchased by the [[United States Department of Defense]] under a program that evaluates new US launch vehicles suitable for use by [[DARPA]].<ref name=wired20070522/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.satnews.com/stories2007/4156/ |publisher=Satnews.com |title=Falcon 1 Reaches Space But Loses Control and is Destroyed on Re-Entry |date=March 21, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928204503/http://www.satnews.com/stories2007/4156/ |archive-date=September 28, 2007 }}</ref><ref>Graham Warwick and Guy Norris, "Blue Sky Thinking: DARPA at 50," ''Aviation Week & Space Technology,'' Aug 18–25, 2008, p. 18.</ref>

=== Cancelled launches ===
As part of a US$15 million contract, Falcon 1 was to carry the [[TacSat-1]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.responsivespace.com/Papers/RS2%5CSESSION%20PAPERS%5CSESSION%205%5CHURLEY%5C5003C.pdf|title=TacSat-1|website=Responsivespace.com|access-date=August 18, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516001544/http://www.responsivespace.com/Papers/RS2/SESSION%20PAPERS/SESSION%205/HURLEY/5003C.pdf|archive-date=May 16, 2006}}</ref> in 2005. By late May 2005, SpaceX stated that Falcon 1 was ready to launch TacSat-1 from Vandenberg. But the Air Force did not want the launch of an untested rocket to occur until the final [[Titan IV]] flew from nearby SLC 4E. Subsequent and repeated delays due to Falcon 1 launch failures delayed TacSat-1's launch. After [[TacSat-2]] was launched on an Orbital Sciences [[Minotaur I]] on December 16, 2006, the Department of Defense re-evaluated the need for launching TacSat-1. In August 2007, the Department of Defense canceled the planned launch of TacSat-1<ref>{{cite web|title=Report: Pentagon cancels TacSat-1 launch|url=http://www.spacetoday.net/Summary/3884|website= spacetoday.net|date=August 18, 2007|access-date=July 15, 2011}}</ref> because all of the TacSat objectives had been met.

An August 2005 update on SpaceX's website showed 6 launches planned for Falcon 1, with customers including MDA Corp ([[CASSIOPE]], which eventually launched in 2013 on Falcon 9), Swedish Space Corp and US Air Force.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Musk|first1=Elon|author-link=Elon Musk|date=December 20, 2005|title=June 2005 through September 2005 Update|url=http://www.spacex.com/news/2005/12/19/june-2005-december-2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612024702/https://www.spacex.com/news/2005/12/19/june-2005-december-2005|archive-date=June 12, 2019|access-date=November 14, 2016|website=SpaceX News|publisher=SpaceX}}</ref>

== Design ==
According to SpaceX, the Falcon 1 was designed to minimize price per launch for [[low Earth orbit|low-Earth-orbit]] [[satellite]]s, increase reliability, and optimize flight environment and time to launch.<ref name="SpaceX Falcon1">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/falcon1.php |publisher=SpaceX |title=Falcon 1 Overview |access-date=May 5, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118140101/http://www.spacex.com/falcon1.php |archive-date=January 18, 2012 }}</ref> It also was used to verify components and structural design concepts that would be reused in the [[Falcon 9]]. SpaceX started with the idea that the smallest useful orbital rocket was the [[minimum viable product]] (Falcon 1 with about {{cvt|450|kg|disp=or|lb}} to orbit), instead of building something larger and more complicated, and then running out of money and going bankrupt.<ref>Dead link: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab2VVp1GfmA|title=YouTube|website=Youtube.com|access-date=August 18, 2017}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}} [[Image:SpaceX falcon in warehouse.jpg|thumb|left|First-stage view of the [[Merlin (rocket engine)|Merlin]] engine.]]
=== First stage ===
The first stage was made from [[friction stir welding|friction-stir-welded]] [[2219 aluminium alloy|2219]] [[aluminum]] [[alloy]].<ref name=ssc200708>
{{cite journal |last=Bjelde|first=Brian |author2=Max Vozoff|author3=Gwynne Shotwell |title=The Falcon 1 Launch Vehicle: Demonstration Flights, Status, Manifest, and Upgrade Path |journal=21st Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites |date=August 2007 |issue=SSC07 – III – 6 |url=http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1456&context=smallsat |access-date=December 6, 2013 }}</ref> It employs a common bulkhead between the LOX and RP-1 tanks, as well as flight pressure stabilization. It can be transported safely without pressurization (like the heavier [[Delta II]] isogrid design) but gains additional strength when pressurized for flight (like the [[Atlas II]], which could not be transported unpressurized). The parachute system, built by Irvin Para&shy;chute Corp&shy;oration, uses a high-speed [[drogue chute]] and a main chute.

For the first two launches, the Falcon 1 used a Merlin 1A engine. An improved version of the Merlin 1A, the Merlin 1B, was supposed to fly on later flights of the Falcon 1, although it was further improved to create the Merlin 1C, which was first flown on the third Falcon 1 flight, and on the first 5 flights of the Falcon 9. The Falcon 1 first stage was powered by a single [[Pump-fed engine|pump-fed]] [[Merlin 1C]] engine burning [[RP-1]] and [[liquid oxygen]] providing {{convert|92000|lbf|kN|order=flip}} of sea-level thrust and a specific impulse of 245 s (vacuum I<sub>sp</sub> 290 s).<ref name=ssc200708/>  The first stage burns to depletion, taking around 169 seconds to do so.<ref name=ssc200708/>

=== Second stage ===
The second stage Falcon 1 tanks were built with a [[cryogenic]]-compatible [[2014 aluminum alloy]],<ref name=ssc200708/>
with the plan to move to [[2195 aluminum alloy|aluminum-lithium alloy]] on the Falcon 1e.<ref name=ssc200708/>
The [[helium]] pressurization system pumps propellant to the engine, supplies heated<ref name=ssc200708/> pressurized gas for the attitude control thrusters, and is used for zero-''g'' [[ullage engine|propellant accumulation]] prior to engine restart. The [[Kestrel (rocket engine)|Kestrel]] engine includes a titanium heat exchanger to pass waste heat to the helium, thereby greatly extending its work capacity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/SpaceX_F1-003_PressKit.pdf |publisher=SpaceX |title=Falcon 1 Flight Three Press Kit |access-date=September 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001161901/http://www.spacex.com/SpaceX_F1-003_PressKit.pdf |archive-date=October 1, 2008 }}</ref> 
The pressure tanks are [[composite overwrapped pressure vessels]] made by Arde corporation with [[inconel]] alloy and are the same as those used in the [[Delta IV rocket|Delta III]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Falcon 1|url=http://www.astronautix.com/f/falcon1.html|website=Encyclopedia Astronautica|publisher=Space Daily|access-date=November 25, 2022}}</ref>

The second stage was powered by a [[Pressure-fed engine (rocket)|pressure-fed]] [[Kestrel (rocket engine)|Kestrel]] engine with {{convert|7000|lbf|kN|order=flip}} of vacuum thrust and a vacuum specific impulse of 330 s.<ref name=ssc200708/>

=== Reusability ===
The first stage was originally planned to return by [[parachute]] to a water landing and be recovered for reuse, but this capability was never demonstrated.<ref name="Ruese">{{cite press release|url=http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=18|title=SpaceX Announces the Falcon 9 Fully Reusable Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle|last=Brown|first=Mary Beth|date=September 8, 2005|publisher=[[SpaceX]]|access-date=November 4, 2009|location=El Segundo, CA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326183411/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=18|archive-date=March 26, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="SFN-F4">{{cite web|url=http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon/004/|title=Sweet success at last for Falcon 1 rocket|last=Clarke|first=Stephen|date=September 28, 2008|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=November 4, 2009}}</ref> The second stage was not designed to be reusable.<ref name="Ruese" /><ref name="SFN-F4" />

=== Launch sequence ===
At launch, the first stage engine (Merlin) is ignited and throttled to full power while the launcher is restrained and all systems are verified by the flight computer. If the systems are operating correctly, the rocket is released and clears the tower in about seven seconds. The first-stage burn lasts about 2 minutes and 49 seconds. Stage separation is accomplished with [[explosive bolts]] and a pneumatically actuated pusher system.{{cn|date=September 2018}} The second stage Kestrel engine burns for about six minutes, inserting the payload into a low Earth orbit. It is capable of multiple restarts.{{cn|date=September 2018}}

== Pricing ==
SpaceX quoted Falcon 1 launch prices as being the same for all customers.<ref name="falconpricing">SpaceX, [http://www.spacex.com/falcon1.php#pricing_and_performance Falcon 1 Overview: Pricing and Performance] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118140101/http://www.spacex.com/falcon1.php |date=January 18, 2012 }} (website viewed August 31, 2010)</ref> In 2005 Falcon 1 was advertised as costing $5.9 million ($9.5 million when adjusted for inflation in 2025).<ref name="un20060101" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%245900000+in+2005+dollars |title=$5900000 in 2005 dollars |date=March 17, 2025 |publisher=Wolfram Alpha}}</ref> In 2006 until 2007 the quoted price of the rocket when operational was $6.7 million.<ref>{{cite news |first=Tariq|last=Malik|url=http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060324_spacex_failure.html |title=SpaceX's Inaugural Falcon 1 Rocket Lost Just After Launch |date=March 24, 2006 |publisher=Space.com}}</ref> In late 2009 SpaceX announced new prices for the Falcon 1 and 1e at $7 million and $8.5 million respectively, with small discounts available for multi-launch contracts,<ref name="SpaceX Falcon1" /> and in 2012 announced that payloads originally selected as flying on the Falcon 1 and 1e would fly as secondary payloads on the Falcon 9.<ref name="F1-retired"/>

Historically, the Falcon 1 was originally planned to launch about {{convert|600|kg}} to low-Earth orbit for {{currency|6000000|US}} but later declined to approximately {{convert|420|kg}} as the price increased to approximately {{currency|9000000|US}}. It was SpaceX's offering intended to open up the [[smallsat]] [[Space launch market competition|launch market to competition]].  The final version of the Falcon 1, the Falcon 1e,<ref>Jessy Xavier, "[http://www.oregonherald.com/news/show-story.cfm?story=&id=334654 Europes First Vega Rocket Blasts Off Successfully] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416181610/http://www.oregonherald.com/news/show-story.cfm?story=&id=334654 |date=2014-04-16 }}," Oregon Herald, February 13, 2012</ref> was projected to provide approximately {{convert|1000|kg|lb|abbr=on}} for US$11 million. 
<blockquote>Several years ago, SpaceX was going to open up the smallsat launch market with the Falcon 1, which originally was to launch about 600 kilograms to LEO for $6 million; the payload capacity later declined to about {{Cvt|420|kg}} as the price increased to around $9 million. Later, the Falcon 1e was to provide approximately {{Cvt|1000|kg|lb}} for $11 million, but the company withdrew the vehicle from the market, citing limited demand.<ref name=nsj20120711>
{{cite news |title=Virgin Galactic relaunches its smallsat launch business |url=http://www.newspacejournal.com/2012/07/11/virgin-galactic-relaunches-its-smallsat-launch-business/ |access-date=2012-07-11 |newspaper=NewSpace Journal |date=2012-07-12 |quote=''Several years ago, SpaceX was going to open up the smallsat launch market with the Falcon 1, which originally was to launch about 600 kilograms to LEO for $6 million; the payload capacity later declined to about 420 kilograms as the price increased to around $9 million. Later, the Falcon 1e was to provide approximately 1,000 kilograms for $11 million, but the company withdrew the vehicle from the market, citing limited demand.'' }}</ref></blockquote>

== Launch sites ==
[[File:Falcon_1_Flight.jpg|thumb|right|Falcon 1 first flight attempt with NASA partnership cargo at Omelek Island launchpad]]
All flights were launched from [[Kwajalein|Kwajalein Atoll]] using the SpaceX launch facility on [[Omelek Island]] and [[rocket range|range]] facilities of the [[Reagan Test Site]].

[[Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 3]]W was the original launch site for Falcon 1, but it was abandoned at the test-fire stage due to persistent schedule conflicts with adjacent launch pads.<ref>
{{cite web |first=Brian|last=Berger|date=January 9, 2006|url=http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive05/Falcon_010906.html |title=SpaceX To Try Again Feb. 9 |publisher=Space News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060308182932/http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive05/Falcon_010906.html|archive-date=March 8, 2006|url-status=dead}}
</ref> [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40]] (the Falcon 9 pad) was considered for Falcon 1 launches but never developed before Falcon 1 was retired.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kelly |first=John |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/2007/04/spacex-cleared-for-cape-launches.html |title=SpaceX cleared for Cape launches |publisher=Florida Today |date=April 25, 2007}}</ref>

==Variants==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width= | Falcon 1 <br>Versions<ref name="SpaceX Falcon1" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spacex.com/Falcon1DataSheet.pdf |title=SpaceX Falcon 1 Data Sheet |date=September 28, 2008 |publisher=SpaceX |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001161859/http://www.spacex.com/Falcon1DataSheet.pdf|archive-date=October 1, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spacex.com/Falcon1UsersGuide.pdf |title=Falcon 1 Users Guide |date=September 28, 2008 |publisher=SpaceX |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226213030/http://www.spacex.com/Falcon1UsersGuide.pdf |archive-date=February 26, 2009 }}</ref>
! width= | Merlin A; <br>2006–2007
! width= | Merlin C; <br>2007–2009
! width= | [[Falcon 1e]] <br>(proposed)
|-
| '''Stage 1'''
| 1 × [[Merlin (rocket engine)#Merlin 1A|Merlin 1A]]
| 1 × [[Merlin (rocket engine)#Merlin 1C|Merlin 1C]]
| 1 × Merlin 1C
|-
| '''Stage 2'''
| 1 × [[Kestrel (rocket engine)|Kestrel]]
| 1 × Kestrel
| 1 × Kestrel
|-
| '''Height'''<br/>(max; m)
|align="right"| 21.3
|align="right"| 22.25
|align="right"| 26.83
|-
| '''Diameter'''<br/>
|align="right"| 1.7 (5.57743 ft)
|align="right"| 1.7 (5.57743 ft)
|align="right"| 1.7 (5.57743 ft)
|-
| '''Initial thrust'''<br/>([[newton (unit)|kN]])
|align="right"| 318 (71489.2 lbf)
|align="right"| 343 (77109.5 lbf)
|align="right"| 454 (102063
|-
| '''Takeoff weight'''<br/>([[tonne]]s)
|align="right"| 27.2
|align="right"| 33.23
|align="right"| 38.56
|-
| '''Fairing diameter'''<br/>(Inner; m)
|align="right"| 1.5
|align="right"| 1.5
|align="right"| 1.71
|-
| '''Payload'''<br/>([[Low Earth orbit|LEO]] {{nowrap|185 km}}; kg)
|align="right"| 420<ref>{{cite web | url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/falcon-1-dev.htm | title=Falcon-1 (Development Version)}}</ref>
|align="right"| 470<ref>{{cite web | url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/falcon-1.htm | title=Falcon-1}}</ref><br> (290 to polar)
|align="right"| 1,010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.georing.biz/usefull/Falcon1UsersGuide.pdf |title=Users Guide |publisher=www.georing.biz |date= |accessdate=March 11, 2021}}</ref><br> (430 to polar)
|-
| '''Price'''<br/>(Mil. [[United States dollar|USD]])
|align="right"| 6.7
|align="right"| 7
|align="right"| 10.9
|-
| minimal '''Price/kg'''<br/>([[Low Earth orbit|LEO]] {{nowrap|185 km}}; [[United States dollar|USD]])
|align="right"| ~14,000
|align="right"| ~14,000
|align="right"| ~8400 <br>(~20,000 to polar)
|-
| '''Success ratio'''<br/>(successful/total)
|align="right"| 0/2
|align="right"| 2/3
|align="right"| —
|}

==Launches==
Falcon 1 made five launches. The first three failed, however the subsequent two flights were successful, the [[Falcon 1 Flight 4|first successful launch]] making it the first privately funded and developed liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit.<ref name="vance2015" />{{rp|203}} The fifth launch was its first commercial flight, and placed [[RazakSAT]] into [[low Earth orbit]].<ref name="F1success">{{cite web|author=Stephen Clarke|date=July 14, 2009|title=Commercial launch of SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket a success|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/falcon/005/|access-date=June 24, 2017|publisher=Spaceflight Now}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Launch attempts
|-
!scope="col"|Flight <abbr title="Number>No.</abbr>
!scope="col"|Date / time ([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]])
!scope="col"|Launch site
!scope="col"|Payload
!scope="col"|Payload mass
!scope="col"|Orbit
!scope="col"|Customers
!scope="col"|Launch outcome
!scope="col"|Launch video
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;|1
|March 24, 2006, 22:30
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[FalconSAT-2]]
|19.5 kg
|[[Low Earth orbit|LEO]] (Planned)
|[[DARPA]]
|{{Failure}}
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=0a_00nJ_Y88|title=Falcon 1 Flight 1}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"|Engine failure at T+33 seconds. Loss of vehicle.<ref name=junod20121115>{{cite web |url=http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a16681/elon-musk-interview-1212/ |title=Elon Musk: Triumph of His Will |date=November 14, 2012 |author=Tom Junod |publisher=Esquire |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref> FalconSAT-2 landed on a storage shed near the launch site.<ref name="USAFA-.doc">{{cite web|url=http://www.usafa.edu/df/dfas/Papers/20062007/FalconSAT-2%20Launched%20%28and%20Recovered%29%20-%20France.pdf|title=FalconSAT-2 Launched (and Recovered)|last=France|first=Marty|author2=Lawrence, Tim|publisher=United States Air Force Academy|access-date=March 15, 2013|archive-date=September 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921173552/http://www.usafa.edu/df/dfas/Papers/20062007/FalconSAT-2%20Launched%20(and%20Recovered)%20-%20France.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" rowspan = 2 style="text-align:center;|2
|March 21, 2007, 01:10
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[DemoSat]]
|||LEO (Planned)
|DARPA
|{{Failure}}
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=Lk4zQ2wP-Nc|title=Falcon 1 DemoFlight 2 Launch}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"|Successful first-stage burn and transition to second stage, maximal altitude 289&nbsp;km. Harmonic [[oscillation]] at T+5 minutes. Premature engine shutdown at T+7 min 30 s. Failed to reach orbit.<ref name="demoflight_2_launch_update_12">{{cite news|url=http://www.spacex.com/F1-DemoFlight2-Flight-Review.pdf |title=Demo Flight 2 Flight Review Update |date=June 15, 2007 |publisher=SpaceX |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203154733/http://www.spacex.com/F1-DemoFlight2-Flight-Review.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2008 }}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" rowspan = 2 style="text-align:center;|3
|August 3, 2008, 03:34<ref name="SFN-F3-failed">{{cite web |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/falcon/003/ |title=Falcon 1 suffers another setback |date= August 3, 2008 |author=Stephen Clarke |publisher=Spaceflight Now |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref>
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[Trailblazer (satellite)|Trailblazer]] <br> [[PRESat]] <br> [[NanoSail-D]] <br> [[Celestis|Explorers]]
|4 kg
|LEO (Planned)
|[[Operationally Responsive Space|ORS]] <br> [[NASA]] <br> NASA <br> [[Celestis]]<ref name="launch_log">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/launch_manifest.php |publisher=SpaceX |title=Launch Manifest |access-date=August 3, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414160626/http://spacex.com/launch_manifest.php |archive-date=April 14, 2009 }}</ref>
|{{Failure}}
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=v0w9p3U8860|title=Falcon 1 Flight 3 Launch Video}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"| Residual stage-1 thrust led to collision between stage 1 and stage 2.<ref name="Mission3-Summary">{{cite web|date=August 6, 2008|title=Flight 3 mission summary|url=http://www.spacex.com/news/2013/02/11/falcon-1-flight-3-mission-summary|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927204157/https://www.spacex.com/news/2013/02/11/falcon-1-flight-3-mission-summary|archive-date=September 27, 2018|access-date=June 24, 2017|publisher=SpaceX}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" rowspan = 2 style="text-align:center;|4
|September 28, 2008, 23:15<ref name="SFN-F4" /><ref name="SpaceX Falcon1 Flight4">{{cite web|date=September 23, 2008|title=Flight 4 Launch Update|url=http://spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0802-1007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103011714/http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0802-1007|archive-date=January 3, 2010|publisher=SpaceX}}</ref>
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[Falcon 1 Flight 4|RatSat]]
|165 kg
|LEO
|SpaceX
|{{Success}}<ref name="SFN-F4" />
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=dLQ2tZEH6G0 |title=SpaceX – Falcon 1, Flight 4}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"|Initially scheduled for Sep 23–25, carried dummy payload&nbsp;– mass simulator, 165&nbsp;kg (originally intended to be [[RazakSAT]]).
|-
!scope="row" rowspan = 2 style="text-align:center;|5
|July 14, 2009, 03:35<ref>{{cite press release| url = http://spacex.com/press.php?page=20090601| title = SPACEX And ATSB Announce New Launch Date For Razaksat Satellite| date = June 1, 2009| publisher = SpaceX| access-date = June 2, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090625115803/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20090601| archive-date = June 25, 2009| url-status = dead| df = dmy-all}}</ref>
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[RazakSAT]]
|180 kg
|LEO
|[[Astronautic Technology Sdn Bhd|ATSB]]
|{{Success}}<ref name=F1success />
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=yTaIDooc8Og |title=Falcon 1 RazakSAT Mission – Highlights}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"|Only commercial contract launch of Falcon 1.
|}

===First flight===
{{Main|FalconSAT-2}}
{|style="border-collapse: collapse; float:right;width:250px; clear:right; border:1px #aaa solid; background: #f9f9f9;margin:0 0 0.5em 1em;"
|-
| style="padding:4px;"|<timeline>
ImageSize = width:250 height:365
PlotArea = width:50 height:300 left:50 bottom:50
DateFormat = yyyy

Period = from:-150 till:600
TimeAxis = orientation:vertical order:reverse
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:60 start:-120

Colors =
 id:Bar value:gray(0.95)
 id:canvas value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
 id:S1 value:rgb(0,1,0) legend:Stage_1_Burn
 id:S2 value:rgb(1,1,0.5) legend:Stage_2_Burn

Legend = columns:1 left:20 top:40 columnwidth:100

BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas

Define $dx = 25 # shift text to right side of bar

PlotData=
 bar:Leaders color:Bar width:25 mark:(line,black) align:left fontsize:s

 from:start till:-120 shift:($dx,2) text:[[Merlin (rocket engine)|Merlin]] on internal power.
 from:-120 till:-45 shift:($dx,12) text:Internal sequencer engages.
 from:-45 till:-30 shift:($dx,3) text:Tank pressurization.
 from:-30 till:0 shift:($dx,1) text:Helium spin-up of turbine.
 from:0 till:0 shift:($dx,-4) text:"Ignition." color:S1
 from:0 till:7 shift:($dx,-15) text:"Falcon 1 clears pad (7 s)." color:S1
 from:7 till:76 shift:($dx,-20) text:"Qmax." color:S1
 from:76 till:169 shift:($dx,-20) text:"[[MECO]], stage sep. (169, 170 s)." color:S1
 from:169 till:170 shift:($dx,-12) text:"[[Kestrel (rocket engine)|Kestrel]] ignition (174 s)." color:S2
 from:170 till:194 shift:($dx,-18) text:"[[fairing]] separation (194 s)." color:S2
 from:194 till:552 shift:($dx,-5) text:"Second-stage burn." color:S2
 from:552 till:553 shift:($dx,-1) text:"Kestrel shut down (553 s)." color:S2
 from:553 till:570 shift:($dx,-9) text:[[Satellite]] deployment (570 s).
 from:570 till:600 shift:($dx,-12) text:Re-ignition (demonstration).
</timeline>
|-
| style="padding:4px;font-size:90%;"|Launch sequence (maiden flight example);<br />time scale is in seconds.
|}

The maiden flight of the Falcon 1 was postponed several times because of various technical issues with the new vehicle. Scheduling conflicts with a [[Titan IV]] launch at [[Vandenberg AFB]] also caused delays and resulted in the launch moving to the [[Reagan Test Site]] in the [[Kwajalein Atoll]]. The maiden launch was scheduled for October 31, 2005,<ref name=nsf20051010>[https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2005/10/spacex-reveals-falcon-1-halloween-date/ SpaceX reveals Falcon 1 Halloween date], NASASpaceFlight.com, October 10, 2005, accessed January 31, 2019.</ref> but was held off, then rescheduled for November 25,<ref name=nsf20051118>[https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2005/11/spacex-set-maiden-flight-goals/ SPACEX set maiden flight – goals], NASASpaceFlight.com, November 18, 2005, accessed January 31, 2019.</ref> which also did not occur.  Another attempt was made on December 19, 2005, but was scrubbed when a faulty valve caused a vacuum in the first stage fuel tank, causing the walls of the tank to sunk inward, resulting in structural damage. After replacing the first stage, Falcon 1 launched Saturday, March 25, 2006, at 09:30 [[UTC+12|local time]]. The [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency|DARPA]] payload was the [[United States Air Force Academy]]'s [[FalconSAT|FalconSAT–2]], which would have measured space [[plasma (physics)|plasma]] phenomena.

The launch took place on Saturday, March 24, 2006, at 22:30 UTC, from the SpaceX [[Rocket launch site|launch site]] on [[Omelek Island]] in the [[Marshall Islands]]. It ended in failure less than a minute into the flight because of a fuel line leak and subsequent fire. The vehicle had a noticeable rolling motion after liftoff, as shown on the launch video, rocking back and forth a bit, and then at T+26 seconds rapidly pitched over. Impact occurred at T+41 seconds onto a dead reef about 250&nbsp;feet from the launch site. The [[FalconSAT|FalconSAT–2]] payload separated from the booster and landed on the island, with damage reports varying from slight to significant.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kwajrockets.blogspot.co.uk/2006/03/someones-looking-out-for-that.html |title=Someone's looking out for that satellite… |date=March 25, 2006 |author=Kimbal Musk |publisher=Kwajalein Atoll and Rockets |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref> SpaceX initially attributed the fire to an improperly tightened fuel-line nut. A later review by [[DARPA]] found that the nut was properly tightened, since its locking wire was still in place, but had failed because of corrosion from saltwater spray.

SpaceX implemented numerous changes to the rocket design and software to prevent this type of failure from recurring, including stainless steel to replace aluminum hardware and pre-liftoff computer checks that increased by a factor of thirty.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.space.com/2643-falcon-1-failure-traced-busted-nut.html |title=Falcon 1 Failure Traced to a Busted Nut |date=July 19, 2006 |author=Brian Berger |publisher=space.com |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0107-0707#demoflight_2_launch_update_9 |title=Demo flight two update |date=January 19, 2007 |publisher=Space.com |access-date=May 10, 2016 |archive-date=January 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104060745/http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0107-0707#demoflight_2_launch_update_9 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Second flight===
The second test flight was originally scheduled for January 2007, but was delayed because of problems with the second stage. Before the January launch date, SpaceX had stated earlier potential launch dates, moving from September 2006 to November and December. In December the launch was rescheduled for March 9, but delayed because of range availability issues caused by a [[Minuteman III]] test flight, which would re-enter over Kwajalein. The launch attempt on March 19 was delayed 45 minutes from 23:00 GMT because of a data-relay issue, and then scrubbed 1&nbsp;minute 2&nbsp;seconds before launch at 23:45 because of a computer issue, whereby the safety computer incorrectly detected a transmission failure caused by a hardware delay of a few [[millisecond]]s in the process. March 20 attempt was delayed 65 minutes from an originally planned time of 23:00 because of a problem with communications between one of the NASA experiments in the payload and the [[TDRS]] system.

The first launch attempt on March 21, 2007, was aborted at 00:05 GMT at the last second before launch and after the engine had ignited. It was, however, decided that another launch should be made the same day. The rocket successfully left the launch pad at 01:10 GMT on March 21, 2007, with a [[DemoSat]] payload for [[DARPA]] and [[NASA]]. The rocket performed well during the first-stage burn. However, during staging, the interstage fairing on the top of the first stage bumped the second-stage engine bell.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SpaceX_Confirms_Stage_Bump_On_Demoflight_2_999.html |title=SpaceX Confirms Stage Bump On Demoflight 2 |date=March 23, 2007 |author=Greg Zsidisin |publisher=Space Daily |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref> The bump occurred as the second-stage nozzle exited the interstage, with the first stage rotating much faster than expected (a rotation rate of about 2.5°/s vs. expected rate of 0.5°/s maximum), thereby making contact with the [[niobium]] nozzle of the second stage. Elon Musk reported that the bump did not appear to have caused damage, and that the reason why they chose a niobium skirt instead of [[Reinforced carbon–carbon|carbon–carbon]] was to prevent problematic damage in the event of such incidents. Shortly after second-stage ignition, a stabilization ring detached from the engine bell as designed.<ref name="falconf2status">{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/f2/status.html |title=Mission Status Center |date=March 20, 2007 |publisher=Space Flight Now }}</ref> At around T+4:20, a circular coning oscillation began, which increased in amplitude until video was lost. At T+5:01, the vehicle started to roll, and telemetry ended. According to [[Elon Musk]], the second-stage engine shut down at T+7:30 because of a roll-control issue. Sloshing of propellant in the LOX tank increased oscillation. This oscillation would normally have been dampened by the Thrust Vector Control system in the second stage, but the bump to the second-stage nozzle during separation caused an overcompensation in the correction.<ref name="falconf2status"/> The rocket continued to within one minute of its expected duration and also managed to deploy the satellite mass-simulator ring. While the webcast video ended prematurely, SpaceX was able to retrieve telemetry for the entire flight.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2007/03/falcon-i-flight-preliminary-assessment-positive-for-spacex/ |title=Falcon I flight – preliminary assessment positive for SpaceX |date=March 24, 2007 |author=Chris Bergin |publisher=NASAspaceflight |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref> The status of the first stage is unknown; it was not recovered because of problems with a nonfunctioning GPS tracking device. The rocket reached a final altitude of {{convert|289|km|mi|abbr=on}} and a final velocity of 5.1&nbsp;km/s, compared to 7.5&nbsp;km/s needed for orbit.

SpaceX characterized the test flight as a success, having [[Technology readiness level|flight-proven]] over 95% of Falcon 1's systems. Their primary objectives for this launch were to test responsive launch procedures and gather data.<ref name="demoflight_2_launch_update_12"/> The SpaceX team planned both a diagnosis and solution vetted by third-party experts, believing that the slosh issue could be corrected by adding baffles to the second-stage LOX tank and adjusting the control logic. Furthermore, the Merlin shutdown transient was to be addressed by initiating shutdown at a much lower thrust level, albeit at some risk to engine reusability. The SpaceX team wished to work on the problem to avoid a recurrence as they changed over into the operational phase for Falcon 1.<ref name="Space28">{{cite web |url=https://www.space.com/3615-spacex-declares-falcon-1-rocket-operational-perfect-test.html |title=SpaceX Declares Falcon 1 Rocket Operational Despite Less than Perfect Test |date=March 28, 2007 |author=Brian Berger |publisher=Space.com |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref>

===Third flight===

{{Main|Trailblazer (satellite)|NanoSail-D|PRESat}}
SpaceX attempted the third Falcon 1 launch on August 3, 2008 (GMT) from [[Kwajalein]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/falcon/003/ |title=Falcon 1 suffers another setback |access-date=November 25, 2022 |date=August 3, 2008|publisher=SpaceflightNow.com }}</ref> This flight carried the [[Trailblazer (satellite)|Trailblazer]] (Jumpstart-1) satellite for the [[US Air Force]],<ref name="launchwindow">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=43|title=SpaceX conducts static test firing of next Falcon 1 rocket|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=June 26, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630040814/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=43|archive-date=June 30, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[NanoSail-D]] and [[PREsat]] nanosatellites for NASA and a [[space burial]] payload for [[Celestis]].<ref name="Celestis">{{cite web|url=http://www.memorialspaceflights.com/explorers.asp|title=The Explorers Flight|publisher=Space Services Incorporated (Celestis)|access-date=June 5, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907104137/http://www.memorialspaceflights.com/explorers.asp|archive-date=September 7, 2008}}</ref> The rocket did not reach orbit. However, the first stage, with the new Merlin 1C engine, performed perfectly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2008/08/falcon_launch_v.html|title=Falcon Launch Video and Message from Elon Musk – NASA Watch<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=Nasawatch.com|access-date=August 18, 2017}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

When preparing for launch, an earlier launch attempt was delayed by the unexpected slow loading of helium onto the Falcon 1; thus exposing the fuel and oxidizer to the cryogenic helium, rendering the vehicle in a premature launch state. Still within the specified window, the launch attempt was recycled, but aborted half a second before lift-off because of a sensor misreading. The problem was resolved, and the launch was again recycled. With 25 minutes left in the launch window, the Falcon 1 lifted off from Omelek Island at 03:35 UTC. During the launch, small vehicle roll oscillations were visible. Stage separation occurred as planned, but because residual fuel in the new Merlin 1C engine evaporated and provided transient thrust, the first stage recontacted the second stage, preventing successful completion of the mission.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nasawatch.com/archives/2008/08/spacex-telecon-on-falcon-1-launch-failure.html|title=SpaceX Telecon on Falcon 1 Launch Failure|publisher=NASA Watch|date=August 6, 2008}}</ref>

The SpaceX flight-3 mission summary indicated that flight 4 would take place as planned and that the failure of flight 3 did not make any technological upgrades necessary. A longer time between first-stage engine shutdown and stage separation was declared to be enough.<ref name="Mission3-Summary" /> The full video of the third launch attempt was made public by SpaceX a few weeks after the launch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/media|title=Media Gallery|last=SpaceX|website=SpaceX|access-date=August 18, 2017|archive-date=August 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817233900/http://www.spacex.com/media|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Musk blamed himself for the failure of this launch, as well as the two prior attempts, explaining at the 2017 [[International Astronautical Congress]] that his role as chief engineer in the early Falcon 1 launches was not by choice and almost bankrupted the company before succeeding:<ref>{{Citation|author=Elon Musk|title=Making Life Multiplanetary {{!}} 2017 International Astronautical Congress|date=September 28, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdUX3ypDVwI&t=12m04s|access-date=November 28, 2018}}</ref>
<blockquote>
And the reason that I ended up being the chief engineer or chief designer, was not because I want to, it's because I couldn't hire anyone. Nobody good would join. So I ended up being that by default. And I messed up the first three launches. The first three launches failed. Fortunately the fourth launch which was – that was the last money that we had for Falcon 1 – the fourth launch worked, or that would have been it for SpaceX.
</blockquote>

Musk further explained the situation to [[Ars Technica]] journalist Eric Berger:<ref>{{Cite book|last=Berger|first=Eric|author-link=Eric Berger (meteorologist)|title=Liftoff|publisher=[[William Morrow and Company]]|year=2021|isbn=978-0-06-297997-1|pages=182}}</ref>
<blockquote>
At the time I had to allocate a lot of capital to [[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]] and [[SolarCity]], so I was out of money. We had three failures under our belt. So it's pretty hard to go raise money. [[Great Recession|The recession]] is starting to hit. The Tesla financing round that we tried to raise that summer had failed. I got divorced. I didn't even have a house. [[Justine Musk|My ex-wife]] had the house. So it was a shitty summer.
</blockquote>

===Fourth flight===
[[Image:Spacex 067.jpg|thumb|The second-stage [[Kestrel (rocket engine)|Kestrel engine]] glows red-hot during Falcon 1's fourth launch and first successful orbital flight.]]
{{Main|Ratsat}}
Following the three prior failures, the SpaceX team assembled the fourth rocket using available parts in six weeks as a last chance for the company. A [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III]] was chartered to quickly deliver the rocket, but along the way, the rocket partially [[Implosion (mechanical process)|imploded]] when repressurization exceeded what the SpaceX team had expected from the C-17's manual and the rocket had to undergo emergency repairs to be saved.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Berger|first=Eric|title=Liftoff|publisher=[[William Morrow and Company]]|year=2021|isbn=978-0-06-297997-1|pages=181–197}}</ref> Despite the challenges, the fourth flight of the Falcon 1 rocket successfully flew on September 28, 2008, delivering a 165-kilogram (363-pound) non-functional [[Boilerplate (spaceflight)|boilerplate]] spacecraft into [[low Earth orbit]].<ref name="SpaceX Falcon1 Flight4"/> It was Falcon&nbsp;1's first successful launch and the first successful [[geocentric orbit|orbital]] launch of any [[private spaceflight|privately funded and developed]], fully liquid-propelled carrier rocket.<ref name=sfn20080928/>

The launch occurred from [[Omelek Island]], part of the [[Kwajalein Atoll]] in the [[Marshall Islands]].<ref name="MSC">{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/004/status.html|title=Mission Status Center|last=Ray|first=Justin|date=September 28, 2008|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=September 28, 2008}}</ref> Liftoff occurred at 23:15&nbsp;UTC on September 28, 15 minutes into a 5-hour launch window. If the launch had been scrubbed, it could have been conducted during the same window until October 1.<ref name="SpaceX updates">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/F1-004.php|title=Falcon 1 Flight 4|last=Musk|first=Elon|date=September 27, 2008|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=September 28, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725225434/http://www.spacex.com/F1-004.php|archive-date=July 25, 2011}}</ref> 9 minutes 31 seconds after launch, the second-stage engine shut down, after the vehicle reached orbit.<ref name="MSC"/> The initial orbit was reported to be about 330 × 650&nbsp;km.<ref name=sfn20080928>
{{cite web |last=Clark|first=Stephen |title=Sweet Success at Last for Falcon 1 Rocket |date=September 28, 2008 |publisher=Spaceflight Now |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/004/index.html |access-date=April 6, 2011 |quote=the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to successfully reach orbit}}</ref>
Following a coast period, the second stage restarted and performed a successful second burn, resulting in a final orbit of 621 × 643&nbsp;km × 9.35°.

The rocket followed the same trajectory as the previous flight, which failed to place the [[Trailblazer (satellite)|Trailblazer]], [[NanoSail-D]], [[PRESat]] and [[Celestis|Celestis Explorers]] spacecraft into orbit. No major changes were made to the rocket, other than increasing the time between first-stage burnout and second-stage separation. This minor change addressed the failure seen on the previous flight, recontact between the first and second stages, by dissipating residual thrust in the first-stage engine before separating them.<ref name="F3">{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/news/080806-spacex-falcon1-update.html|title=SpaceX Traces Third Rocket Failure to Timing Error|last=Malik|first=Tariq|author2=Berger, Brian |date=August 6, 2008|publisher=Space.com|access-date=September 28, 2008}}</ref><ref name="SFN preview">{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/004/080927preview.html|title=SpaceX to launch its fourth Falcon 1 rocket on Sunday|last=Clark|first=Stephen|date=September 27, 2008|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=September 28, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |issn=0362-4331 | last = Schwartz | first = John | title = Private Company Launches Its Rocket Into Orbit | work = [[The New York Times]] | access-date = September 29, 2008 |date = September 29, 2008 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/science/space/29launch.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin}}</ref>

Ratsat and the attached second stage are still in orbit as of 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stuffin.space/?intldes=2008-048A&search=Falcon%201|website=stuffin.space|access-date=January 22, 2021|title=Stuff in Space}}</ref>

=== Fifth flight ===
{{Main|RazakSAT}}

SpaceX announced that it had completed construction of the fifth Falcon 1 rocket and was transporting the vehicle to the Kwajalein Atoll launch complex where it was to be launched on April 21, 2009, which would be April 20, 2009, in the United States.<ref name="MWN">{{cite web | last = Musk | first = Elon | title = Flight 4 Launch Update | work = Updates | publisher = [[SpaceX]] | date = March 17, 2009 | url = http://www.spacex.com/updates.php | access-date = September 23, 2008 | archive-date = April 5, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200405145315/http://www.spacex.com/updates.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> Less than a week before the scheduled launch date, [[Malaysia]]n news reported that unsafe vibration levels had been detected in the rocket and repairs were expected to take about six weeks.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/18/nation/3723070&sec=nation | title=Launch of RazakSAT postponed | work=The Star | date=April 18, 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604024021/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2009%2F4%2F18%2Fnation%2F3723070&sec=nation | archive-date=June 4, 2011 }}</ref> On April 20, 2009, SpaceX announced in a press release that the launch had been postponed because of a potential compatibility issue between the RazakSAT spacecraft and the Falcon 1 launch vehicle. A concern had been identified regarding the potential impact of predicted vehicle environments on the satellite.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.spacex.com/updates.php | title=Launch of RazakSAT postponed | publisher=SpaceX | date=April 20, 2009 | access-date=March 19, 2007 | archive-date=April 5, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405145315/http://www.spacex.com/updates.php | url-status=dead }}</ref> On June 1, SpaceX announced that the next launch window would open Monday, July 13 and extend through Tuesday, July 14, with a daily window to open at 21:00 UTC (09:00 local time<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parabolicarc.com/2009/06/02/spacex-sets-falcon-1-launch-july-13/ |title=SpaceX sets Falcon 1 Launch for July 13 |date=June 2, 2009 |author=Doug Messier |publisher=Parabolic Arc |access-date=June 24, 2017 |archive-date=December 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212193422/http://www.parabolicarc.com/2009/06/02/spacex-sets-falcon-1-launch-july-13/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>).

The launch on Monday, July 13 was successful, placing RazakSAT into its initial [[parking orbit]]. Thirty-eight minutes later, the rocket's second-stage engine fired again to circularize the orbit. The payload was then successfully deployed.<ref name="falcon005">{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/005/status.html |title=Falcon Launch Report |publisher=Spaceflight Now}}</ref> After the launch [[Elon Musk]], founder and CEO of SpaceX, told a reporter the launch had been a success. "We nailed the orbit to well within target parameters...pretty much a bullseye" Musk said.<ref name="falcon005" />

The Falcon 1 upper stage is still in low Earth orbit as of 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stuffin.space/?intldes=2009-037B&search=2009-037|title=Stuff in Space|website=stuffin.space|access-date=January 22, 2021}}</ref>

===End of Program===

Following the fifth flight, future launches of Falcon-1 were postponed, and eventually cancelled, and the vehicle decommissioned from service,<ref>Caleb Henry (August 10, 2016). "[https://www.satellitetoday.com/business/2016/08/10/shotwell-falcon-1-will-not-return/ SpaceX's Shotwell: Falcon 1 Will not Return]", ''Via Satellite.''  Retrieved February 10, 2022.</ref> with SpaceX stating "We could not make Falcon 1 work as a business."<ref name=Foust2016 /> Launches which had been booked onto Falcon-1 were moved to other vehicles or rebooked as Falcon-9 rideshare payloads.<ref name=Foust2016>Jeff Foust (August 9, 2016). "[https://spacenews.com/spacex-offers-large-rockets-for-small-satellites/ SpaceX offers large rockets for small satellites]", ''Space News''. Retrieved February 10, 2022.</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Comparison of orbital launch systems]]
*[[Comparison of orbital launchers families]]
*[[Falcon 1e]]
*[[Falcon 9]]
*[[Vega (rocket)|Vega]]
*[[List of Vega launches]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
;Videos

{{reflist|2|group=video}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite news|first=Justin|last=Ray|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/f1/051219damage.html|title=Damage puts first SpaceX rocket launch on hold|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=December 19, 2005|access-date=December 20, 2005|archive-date=June 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623144425/http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/f1/051219damage.html|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4698736.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|title=SpaceX rocket fails first flight|date=March 24, 2006}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Falcon 1}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120118140101/http://www.spacex.com/falcon1.php SpaceX Falcon 1 Overview]
<!-- Broken as of 2008-10-01 * [http://www.memorialspaceflight.com/explorers.asp Space Services Inc. space burial page]-->

{{SpaceX}}
{{Falcon rocket launches}}
{{US launch systems}}

[[Category:SpaceX launch vehicles]]
[[Category:Vehicles introduced in 2006]]