AXIOM MISSION 4 VEHICLES

The rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

- BY ABHINAV SINGH

THE FALCON 9 rocket, a 70-metre tall, 5.49 lakh kg vehicle (when fully fuelled), is designed for reusability, significantly reducing the cost of space travel.

“Its first stage features nine Merlin engines, generating over 1.7 million pounds of thrust for approximately 162 seconds to propel the rocket through the Earth’s atmosphere,” said space analyst Girish Linganna. “This stage then separates and uses four grid fins and engine firings to land safely for reuse.”