Skip to content
79,433 pages · 13,741 images · since 1994 Browse A–Z Today in space history
Encyclopedia Astronautica The full story of spaceflight
Encyclopedia entry

Merlin

Engine

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

SpaceX LOx/Kerosene rocket engine family. For the Falcon booster family.

Subtopics

  • Merlin 1A SpaceX LOx/Kerosene rocket engine. First stages. Hardware. Completed development in early 2005. Pintle injector concept. Replaced by Merlin 1C. First flight 2006.
  • Merlin 1C SpaceX LOx/Kerosene rocket engine. First stages. Hardware. Regeneratively cooled; turbo-pump also provided high pressure kerosene for the hydraulic actuators. Actuated turbine exhaust nozzle provided roll control. First flight 2008.
  • Merlin 1Cvac SpaceX LOx/Kerosene rocket engine. Hardware. Upper stage version of the Merlin developed for the Falcon 9 second stage. Based on the Merlin 1C and using a regeneratively cooled combustion chamber. First flight 2009.
  • Merlin 1D SpaceX LOx/Kerosene rocket engine. Hardware. First stage version of the Merlin developed for the Falcon 9.1. Based on the Merlin 1C and using a regeneratively cooled combustion chamber. First flight 2014.
  • Merlin 1Dvac SpaceX LOx/Kerosene rocket engine. Hardware. Version of the Merlin 1D for upper stage use, with an expansion nozzle greater than 117 resulting in a specific impulse said to be 340 seconds but probably even greater based on the vehicle performance.