![]() With over 100 launches under its belt since 2010, the Falcon 9 has released well over 100,000 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere. This gives us an unbelievable total of 1,115 TONNES of carbon…per launch. Air separation is, essentially, taking regular air from the atmosphere and splitting it into its basic elements.Īll in all, the Falcon 9 produces 465 tonnes of carbon from burning kerosene, and about 650 tonnes of carbon from the air separation processes that produce liquid oxygen. The production of liquid oxygen via fractional distillation in a cryogenic air separation plant also results in large volumes of carbon dioxide being expelled. This means that kerosene has a carbon density of 3 kilograms per 1 kilogram of kerosene.Īs we mentioned above, the burning of kerosene is not the biggest CO2 producer on the Falcon 9. ![]() For instance, 1 kilogram of kerosene will produce 3 kilograms of carbon. Now, burning any given mass of kerosene will result in carbon waste that weighs three times as much. Equally tremendous are the CO2 emissions the rocket is capable of. The Falcon is a beast when it comes to launching, and it posts some incredible performance numbers. Over time, this will exacerbate the global warming problem. Soot (also known as black carbon) can remain in the stratosphere for several years, and a sufficient build-up of it will result in a heat trap that prevents excessive terrestrial heat from escaping into space. Also, like most launches, Falcon 9 missions add pollutants like soot into the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Other Falcon 9 pollutants include water and a variety of acids. In fact, the rocket produces more carbon dioxide while MAKING liquid oxygen than it does while burning kerosene. Another problem…these cryogenic processes expel a large amount of carbon dioxide too. The production of liquid oxygen is done via cryogenic processes. One problem… the liquid oxygen is not kept on-site and needs to be produced as and when needed. The RP-1 must be paired with a coolant to help minimize damage to the engines.Įnter liquid oxygen, one of the most efficient coolants around. The waste product of this reaction is carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.īurning RP-1 is not the only source of carbon dioxide, as far as this rocket is concerned. When it is burned, it provides thrust that propels the rocket. Now, RP-1 is simply a refined branch of the rocket-oriented kerosene family tree. However, the amount of gases and smoke expelled from the rocket on each launch leads one to wonder just how much harm is being done to the environment. ![]() The rocket can also carry a 4,000-kilogram payload to Mars.īehind all of that power are a blend of liquid oxygen and Rocket Propellant-1 (RP-1) that combusts spectacularly but keeps cool enough to avoid rupturing the engines. The rocket is capable of hauling payloads of up to 23,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit thanks to its 9 massive Merlin engines (first stage). In true Elon Musk fashion, horsepower is exactly what we get. The lofty credentials and heavy workload mean that this thing has to be packing some serious horsepower. rockets, and the latest version, the Block 5, is regarded as the most advanced launch vehicle on Earth. The Falcon 9 has the most launches among all (currently operational) U.S. SpaceX has been contracted by NASA to use the vehicle to ferry astronauts to the ISS since 2008. The Falcon 9 is a high-performance medium-lift launch vehicle that is designed (and certified) to transport humans and cargo to the International Space Station. ![]() How much pollution does a Falcon 9 produce? We take a closer look at the Falcon 9’s by-products and how much damage they are capable of wreaking on the environment. The production of the liquid oxygen leads to a by-product of carbon dioxide while the burning of RP-1 also deposits soot into the atmosphere. The launch vehicle makes use of a liquid oxygen and Rocket Propellant 1 (RP-1) fuel blend. The Falcon 9 produces 1,115 tonnes of carbon per launch. However, the environmental impact of this craft is yet to be explored fully. The rocket’s achievements and missions have been well documented and lauded. The two-stage launch vehicle is Elon Musk’s pride and joy, and it is the latest in a line stretching back to 2006. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is an engineering marvel that is steadily inching its way to iconic status.
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