How high up does the Falcon 9 first stage go?

Launch and Ascent Approximately 158 seconds into flight, the first-stage engines are shut down, an event known as main-engine cutoff, or MECO. At this point, Falcon 9 is 80 kilometers (50 miles) high, traveling at 10 times the speed of sound. Three seconds after MECO, the first and second stages will separate.

What happens to the Falcon 9 second stage?

The engine located in the second stage helps to ignite a few seconds after the stage separation has been initiated. It will achieve its orbit and will be left there until its orbit decays. This can also be restarted multiple times that can help the makers to add a number of other payloads into different orbits.

Is the second stage of Falcon 9 reusable?

Falcon 9 is a partially reusable two-stage-to-orbit medium-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX in the United States. Both the first and second stages are powered by SpaceX Merlin engines, using cryogenic liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) as propellants.

Is Falcon 9 second stage reusable?

What happens when the first stage runs out of fuel?

In the typical case, the first-stage and booster engines fire to propel the entire rocket upwards. When the boosters run out of fuel, they are detached from the rest of the rocket (usually with some kind of small explosive charge or explosive bolts) and fall away. The first stage then burns to completion and falls off.

Is second stage of Falcon 9 reusable?

What happens to the second stage of a multistage rocket?

When the boosters run out of fuel, they are detached from the rest of the rocket (usually with some kind of small explosive charge or explosive bolts) and fall away. The first stage then burns to completion and falls off. This leaves a smaller rocket, with the second stage on the bottom, which then fires.

What happens second stage rocket?

The second stage, powered by a single Merlin Vacuum Engine, delivers Falcon 9’s payload to the desired orbit. The second stage engine ignites a few seconds after stage separation, and can be restarted multiple times to place multiple payloads into different orbits.

What happens to Stage 2 of the rocket?

Stage II is restartable, and fires twice. The first burn occurs during the final portion of the boost phase and is used to insert the second and third stage spacecraft stack into a low Earth orbit. The second stage is programmed to shut itself off once the rocket and spacecraft are in orbit around Earth.