Author Topic: Use Cases for Extended Fairing on Falcon 9 (Read 3567 times)

jpfulton314 · « **on:** 08/21/2020 01:40 pm »

Given that the extended fairing has been approved for the Falcon Heavy:a) What are potential use cases for using it on the Falcon 9?b) What discussions have surfaced (if any) about using it on the Falcon 9? Maybe this is a premature question.

ZChris13 · « **Reply #1 on:** 08/23/2020 11:13 am »

NASA wants to put the Gateway PPE and the Gateway Hab Module on it together instead of launching them separately and having them rendezvous in NRHO, which is enabled by the long fairing.
The Air Force/Space Force/NRO need it for their big keyhole optical satellites or SIGINT antenna sats or whatever.

sdsds · « **Reply #2 on:** 08/23/2020 01:05 pm »

Is the question about using it on Falcon 9 (single core) or Falcon Heavy (triple core)?

baldusi · « **Reply #3 on:** 08/23/2020 04:53 pm »

You have the obvious Spy Sats, Moon station elements, you could launch some big and heavy station modules, and they might even get a few GTO stacked launches. I would say also space observatories.

Nomadd · « **Reply #4 on:** 08/23/2020 06:23 pm »

Luvoir B?

Orbiter · « **Reply #5 on:** 08/23/2020 06:24 pm »

Probably some classified LEO satellites by the NRO.

Asteroza · « **Reply #6 on:** 08/23/2020 11:04 pm »

It would have been really amusing if a hammerhead fairing made the cut...

jpfulton314 · « **Reply #7 on:** 08/24/2020 05:25 pm »

The question applies to a single core Falcon 9.

wannamoonbase · « **Reply #8 on:** 08/24/2020 06:10 pm »

Quote from: Nomadd on 08/23/2020 06:23 pm

Luvoir B?

Fun idea, but I think Luvoir B is a much wider diameter (8 meters) than this fairing.

I didn't see a reference to the Luvoir B mirror folding. (Not sure if after James Webb if that technology is more affordable or something to be avoided at all costs)