Editing Falcon 1 (section)

==Launches==
Falcon 1 made five launches. The first three failed, however the subsequent two flights were successful, the [[Falcon 1 Flight 4|first successful launch]] making it the first privately funded and developed liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit.<ref name="vance2015" />{{rp|203}} The fifth launch was its first commercial flight, and placed [[RazakSAT]] into [[low Earth orbit]].<ref name="F1success">{{cite web|author=Stephen Clarke|date=July 14, 2009|title=Commercial launch of SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket a success|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/falcon/005/|access-date=June 24, 2017|publisher=Spaceflight Now}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Launch attempts
|-
!scope="col"|Flight <abbr title="Number>No.</abbr>
!scope="col"|Date / time ([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]])
!scope="col"|Launch site
!scope="col"|Payload
!scope="col"|Payload mass
!scope="col"|Orbit
!scope="col"|Customers
!scope="col"|Launch outcome
!scope="col"|Launch video
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;|1
|March 24, 2006, 22:30
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[FalconSAT-2]]
|19.5 kg
|[[Low Earth orbit|LEO]] (Planned)
|[[DARPA]]
|{{Failure}}
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=0a_00nJ_Y88|title=Falcon 1 Flight 1}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"|Engine failure at T+33 seconds. Loss of vehicle.<ref name=junod20121115>{{cite web |url=http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a16681/elon-musk-interview-1212/ |title=Elon Musk: Triumph of His Will |date=November 14, 2012 |author=Tom Junod |publisher=Esquire |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref> FalconSAT-2 landed on a storage shed near the launch site.<ref name="USAFA-.doc">{{cite web|url=http://www.usafa.edu/df/dfas/Papers/20062007/FalconSAT-2%20Launched%20%28and%20Recovered%29%20-%20France.pdf|title=FalconSAT-2 Launched (and Recovered)|last=France|first=Marty|author2=Lawrence, Tim|publisher=United States Air Force Academy|access-date=March 15, 2013|archive-date=September 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921173552/http://www.usafa.edu/df/dfas/Papers/20062007/FalconSAT-2%20Launched%20(and%20Recovered)%20-%20France.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" rowspan = 2 style="text-align:center;|2
|March 21, 2007, 01:10
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[DemoSat]]
|||LEO (Planned)
|DARPA
|{{Failure}}
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=Lk4zQ2wP-Nc|title=Falcon 1 DemoFlight 2 Launch}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"|Successful first-stage burn and transition to second stage, maximal altitude 289&nbsp;km. Harmonic [[oscillation]] at T+5 minutes. Premature engine shutdown at T+7 min 30 s. Failed to reach orbit.<ref name="demoflight_2_launch_update_12">{{cite news|url=http://www.spacex.com/F1-DemoFlight2-Flight-Review.pdf |title=Demo Flight 2 Flight Review Update |date=June 15, 2007 |publisher=SpaceX |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203154733/http://www.spacex.com/F1-DemoFlight2-Flight-Review.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2008 }}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" rowspan = 2 style="text-align:center;|3
|August 3, 2008, 03:34<ref name="SFN-F3-failed">{{cite web |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/falcon/003/ |title=Falcon 1 suffers another setback |date= August 3, 2008 |author=Stephen Clarke |publisher=Spaceflight Now |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref>
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[Trailblazer (satellite)|Trailblazer]] <br> [[PRESat]] <br> [[NanoSail-D]] <br> [[Celestis|Explorers]]
|4 kg
|LEO (Planned)
|[[Operationally Responsive Space|ORS]] <br> [[NASA]] <br> NASA <br> [[Celestis]]<ref name="launch_log">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/launch_manifest.php |publisher=SpaceX |title=Launch Manifest |access-date=August 3, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414160626/http://spacex.com/launch_manifest.php |archive-date=April 14, 2009 }}</ref>
|{{Failure}}
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=v0w9p3U8860|title=Falcon 1 Flight 3 Launch Video}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"| Residual stage-1 thrust led to collision between stage 1 and stage 2.<ref name="Mission3-Summary">{{cite web|date=August 6, 2008|title=Flight 3 mission summary|url=http://www.spacex.com/news/2013/02/11/falcon-1-flight-3-mission-summary|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927204157/https://www.spacex.com/news/2013/02/11/falcon-1-flight-3-mission-summary|archive-date=September 27, 2018|access-date=June 24, 2017|publisher=SpaceX}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" rowspan = 2 style="text-align:center;|4
|September 28, 2008, 23:15<ref name="SFN-F4" /><ref name="SpaceX Falcon1 Flight4">{{cite web|date=September 23, 2008|title=Flight 4 Launch Update|url=http://spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0802-1007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103011714/http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0802-1007|archive-date=January 3, 2010|publisher=SpaceX}}</ref>
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[Falcon 1 Flight 4|RatSat]]
|165 kg
|LEO
|SpaceX
|{{Success}}<ref name="SFN-F4" />
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=dLQ2tZEH6G0 |title=SpaceX – Falcon 1, Flight 4}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"|Initially scheduled for Sep 23–25, carried dummy payload&nbsp;– mass simulator, 165&nbsp;kg (originally intended to be [[RazakSAT]]).
|-
!scope="row" rowspan = 2 style="text-align:center;|5
|July 14, 2009, 03:35<ref>{{cite press release| url = http://spacex.com/press.php?page=20090601| title = SPACEX And ATSB Announce New Launch Date For Razaksat Satellite| date = June 1, 2009| publisher = SpaceX| access-date = June 2, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090625115803/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20090601| archive-date = June 25, 2009| url-status = dead| df = dmy-all}}</ref>
|[[Omelek Island]]
|[[RazakSAT]]
|180 kg
|LEO
|[[Astronautic Technology Sdn Bhd|ATSB]]
|{{Success}}<ref name=F1success />
|<ref group="video">{{YouTube|id=yTaIDooc8Og |title=Falcon 1 RazakSAT Mission – Highlights}}</ref>
|-
|colspan="8"|Only commercial contract launch of Falcon 1.
|}

===First flight===
{{Main|FalconSAT-2}}
{|style="border-collapse: collapse; float:right;width:250px; clear:right; border:1px #aaa solid; background: #f9f9f9;margin:0 0 0.5em 1em;"
|-
| style="padding:4px;"|<timeline>
ImageSize = width:250 height:365
PlotArea = width:50 height:300 left:50 bottom:50
DateFormat = yyyy

Period = from:-150 till:600
TimeAxis = orientation:vertical order:reverse
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:60 start:-120

Colors =
 id:Bar value:gray(0.95)
 id:canvas value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
 id:S1 value:rgb(0,1,0) legend:Stage_1_Burn
 id:S2 value:rgb(1,1,0.5) legend:Stage_2_Burn

Legend = columns:1 left:20 top:40 columnwidth:100

BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas

Define $dx = 25 # shift text to right side of bar

PlotData=
 bar:Leaders color:Bar width:25 mark:(line,black) align:left fontsize:s

 from:start till:-120 shift:($dx,2) text:[[Merlin (rocket engine)|Merlin]] on internal power.
 from:-120 till:-45 shift:($dx,12) text:Internal sequencer engages.
 from:-45 till:-30 shift:($dx,3) text:Tank pressurization.
 from:-30 till:0 shift:($dx,1) text:Helium spin-up of turbine.
 from:0 till:0 shift:($dx,-4) text:"Ignition." color:S1
 from:0 till:7 shift:($dx,-15) text:"Falcon 1 clears pad (7 s)." color:S1
 from:7 till:76 shift:($dx,-20) text:"Qmax." color:S1
 from:76 till:169 shift:($dx,-20) text:"[[MECO]], stage sep. (169, 170 s)." color:S1
 from:169 till:170 shift:($dx,-12) text:"[[Kestrel (rocket engine)|Kestrel]] ignition (174 s)." color:S2
 from:170 till:194 shift:($dx,-18) text:"[[fairing]] separation (194 s)." color:S2
 from:194 till:552 shift:($dx,-5) text:"Second-stage burn." color:S2
 from:552 till:553 shift:($dx,-1) text:"Kestrel shut down (553 s)." color:S2
 from:553 till:570 shift:($dx,-9) text:[[Satellite]] deployment (570 s).
 from:570 till:600 shift:($dx,-12) text:Re-ignition (demonstration).
</timeline>
|-
| style="padding:4px;font-size:90%;"|Launch sequence (maiden flight example);<br />time scale is in seconds.
|}

The maiden flight of the Falcon 1 was postponed several times because of various technical issues with the new vehicle. Scheduling conflicts with a [[Titan IV]] launch at [[Vandenberg AFB]] also caused delays and resulted in the launch moving to the [[Reagan Test Site]] in the [[Kwajalein Atoll]]. The maiden launch was scheduled for October 31, 2005,<ref name=nsf20051010>[https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2005/10/spacex-reveals-falcon-1-halloween-date/ SpaceX reveals Falcon 1 Halloween date], NASASpaceFlight.com, October 10, 2005, accessed January 31, 2019.</ref> but was held off, then rescheduled for November 25,<ref name=nsf20051118>[https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2005/11/spacex-set-maiden-flight-goals/ SPACEX set maiden flight – goals], NASASpaceFlight.com, November 18, 2005, accessed January 31, 2019.</ref> which also did not occur.  Another attempt was made on December 19, 2005, but was scrubbed when a faulty valve caused a vacuum in the first stage fuel tank, causing the walls of the tank to sunk inward, resulting in structural damage. After replacing the first stage, Falcon 1 launched Saturday, March 25, 2006, at 09:30 [[UTC+12|local time]]. The [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency|DARPA]] payload was the [[United States Air Force Academy]]'s [[FalconSAT|FalconSAT–2]], which would have measured space [[plasma (physics)|plasma]] phenomena.

The launch took place on Saturday, March 24, 2006, at 22:30 UTC, from the SpaceX [[Rocket launch site|launch site]] on [[Omelek Island]] in the [[Marshall Islands]]. It ended in failure less than a minute into the flight because of a fuel line leak and subsequent fire. The vehicle had a noticeable rolling motion after liftoff, as shown on the launch video, rocking back and forth a bit, and then at T+26 seconds rapidly pitched over. Impact occurred at T+41 seconds onto a dead reef about 250&nbsp;feet from the launch site. The [[FalconSAT|FalconSAT–2]] payload separated from the booster and landed on the island, with damage reports varying from slight to significant.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kwajrockets.blogspot.co.uk/2006/03/someones-looking-out-for-that.html |title=Someone's looking out for that satellite… |date=March 25, 2006 |author=Kimbal Musk |publisher=Kwajalein Atoll and Rockets |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref> SpaceX initially attributed the fire to an improperly tightened fuel-line nut. A later review by [[DARPA]] found that the nut was properly tightened, since its locking wire was still in place, but had failed because of corrosion from saltwater spray.

SpaceX implemented numerous changes to the rocket design and software to prevent this type of failure from recurring, including stainless steel to replace aluminum hardware and pre-liftoff computer checks that increased by a factor of thirty.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.space.com/2643-falcon-1-failure-traced-busted-nut.html |title=Falcon 1 Failure Traced to a Busted Nut |date=July 19, 2006 |author=Brian Berger |publisher=space.com |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0107-0707#demoflight_2_launch_update_9 |title=Demo flight two update |date=January 19, 2007 |publisher=Space.com |access-date=May 10, 2016 |archive-date=January 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104060745/http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=0107-0707#demoflight_2_launch_update_9 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Second flight===
The second test flight was originally scheduled for January 2007, but was delayed because of problems with the second stage. Before the January launch date, SpaceX had stated earlier potential launch dates, moving from September 2006 to November and December. In December the launch was rescheduled for March 9, but delayed because of range availability issues caused by a [[Minuteman III]] test flight, which would re-enter over Kwajalein. The launch attempt on March 19 was delayed 45 minutes from 23:00 GMT because of a data-relay issue, and then scrubbed 1&nbsp;minute 2&nbsp;seconds before launch at 23:45 because of a computer issue, whereby the safety computer incorrectly detected a transmission failure caused by a hardware delay of a few [[millisecond]]s in the process. March 20 attempt was delayed 65 minutes from an originally planned time of 23:00 because of a problem with communications between one of the NASA experiments in the payload and the [[TDRS]] system.

The first launch attempt on March 21, 2007, was aborted at 00:05 GMT at the last second before launch and after the engine had ignited. It was, however, decided that another launch should be made the same day. The rocket successfully left the launch pad at 01:10 GMT on March 21, 2007, with a [[DemoSat]] payload for [[DARPA]] and [[NASA]]. The rocket performed well during the first-stage burn. However, during staging, the interstage fairing on the top of the first stage bumped the second-stage engine bell.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SpaceX_Confirms_Stage_Bump_On_Demoflight_2_999.html |title=SpaceX Confirms Stage Bump On Demoflight 2 |date=March 23, 2007 |author=Greg Zsidisin |publisher=Space Daily |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref> The bump occurred as the second-stage nozzle exited the interstage, with the first stage rotating much faster than expected (a rotation rate of about 2.5°/s vs. expected rate of 0.5°/s maximum), thereby making contact with the [[niobium]] nozzle of the second stage. Elon Musk reported that the bump did not appear to have caused damage, and that the reason why they chose a niobium skirt instead of [[Reinforced carbon–carbon|carbon–carbon]] was to prevent problematic damage in the event of such incidents. Shortly after second-stage ignition, a stabilization ring detached from the engine bell as designed.<ref name="falconf2status">{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/f2/status.html |title=Mission Status Center |date=March 20, 2007 |publisher=Space Flight Now }}</ref> At around T+4:20, a circular coning oscillation began, which increased in amplitude until video was lost. At T+5:01, the vehicle started to roll, and telemetry ended. According to [[Elon Musk]], the second-stage engine shut down at T+7:30 because of a roll-control issue. Sloshing of propellant in the LOX tank increased oscillation. This oscillation would normally have been dampened by the Thrust Vector Control system in the second stage, but the bump to the second-stage nozzle during separation caused an overcompensation in the correction.<ref name="falconf2status"/> The rocket continued to within one minute of its expected duration and also managed to deploy the satellite mass-simulator ring. While the webcast video ended prematurely, SpaceX was able to retrieve telemetry for the entire flight.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2007/03/falcon-i-flight-preliminary-assessment-positive-for-spacex/ |title=Falcon I flight – preliminary assessment positive for SpaceX |date=March 24, 2007 |author=Chris Bergin |publisher=NASAspaceflight |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref> The status of the first stage is unknown; it was not recovered because of problems with a nonfunctioning GPS tracking device. The rocket reached a final altitude of {{convert|289|km|mi|abbr=on}} and a final velocity of 5.1&nbsp;km/s, compared to 7.5&nbsp;km/s needed for orbit.

SpaceX characterized the test flight as a success, having [[Technology readiness level|flight-proven]] over 95% of Falcon 1's systems. Their primary objectives for this launch were to test responsive launch procedures and gather data.<ref name="demoflight_2_launch_update_12"/> The SpaceX team planned both a diagnosis and solution vetted by third-party experts, believing that the slosh issue could be corrected by adding baffles to the second-stage LOX tank and adjusting the control logic. Furthermore, the Merlin shutdown transient was to be addressed by initiating shutdown at a much lower thrust level, albeit at some risk to engine reusability. The SpaceX team wished to work on the problem to avoid a recurrence as they changed over into the operational phase for Falcon 1.<ref name="Space28">{{cite web |url=https://www.space.com/3615-spacex-declares-falcon-1-rocket-operational-perfect-test.html |title=SpaceX Declares Falcon 1 Rocket Operational Despite Less than Perfect Test |date=March 28, 2007 |author=Brian Berger |publisher=Space.com |access-date=June 24, 2017 }}</ref>

===Third flight===

{{Main|Trailblazer (satellite)|NanoSail-D|PRESat}}
SpaceX attempted the third Falcon 1 launch on August 3, 2008 (GMT) from [[Kwajalein]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/falcon/003/ |title=Falcon 1 suffers another setback |access-date=November 25, 2022 |date=August 3, 2008|publisher=SpaceflightNow.com }}</ref> This flight carried the [[Trailblazer (satellite)|Trailblazer]] (Jumpstart-1) satellite for the [[US Air Force]],<ref name="launchwindow">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=43|title=SpaceX conducts static test firing of next Falcon 1 rocket|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=June 26, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630040814/http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=43|archive-date=June 30, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[NanoSail-D]] and [[PREsat]] nanosatellites for NASA and a [[space burial]] payload for [[Celestis]].<ref name="Celestis">{{cite web|url=http://www.memorialspaceflights.com/explorers.asp|title=The Explorers Flight|publisher=Space Services Incorporated (Celestis)|access-date=June 5, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907104137/http://www.memorialspaceflights.com/explorers.asp|archive-date=September 7, 2008}}</ref> The rocket did not reach orbit. However, the first stage, with the new Merlin 1C engine, performed perfectly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2008/08/falcon_launch_v.html|title=Falcon Launch Video and Message from Elon Musk – NASA Watch<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=Nasawatch.com|access-date=August 18, 2017}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

When preparing for launch, an earlier launch attempt was delayed by the unexpected slow loading of helium onto the Falcon 1; thus exposing the fuel and oxidizer to the cryogenic helium, rendering the vehicle in a premature launch state. Still within the specified window, the launch attempt was recycled, but aborted half a second before lift-off because of a sensor misreading. The problem was resolved, and the launch was again recycled. With 25 minutes left in the launch window, the Falcon 1 lifted off from Omelek Island at 03:35 UTC. During the launch, small vehicle roll oscillations were visible. Stage separation occurred as planned, but because residual fuel in the new Merlin 1C engine evaporated and provided transient thrust, the first stage recontacted the second stage, preventing successful completion of the mission.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nasawatch.com/archives/2008/08/spacex-telecon-on-falcon-1-launch-failure.html|title=SpaceX Telecon on Falcon 1 Launch Failure|publisher=NASA Watch|date=August 6, 2008}}</ref>

The SpaceX flight-3 mission summary indicated that flight 4 would take place as planned and that the failure of flight 3 did not make any technological upgrades necessary. A longer time between first-stage engine shutdown and stage separation was declared to be enough.<ref name="Mission3-Summary" /> The full video of the third launch attempt was made public by SpaceX a few weeks after the launch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/media|title=Media Gallery|last=SpaceX|website=SpaceX|access-date=August 18, 2017|archive-date=August 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817233900/http://www.spacex.com/media|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Musk blamed himself for the failure of this launch, as well as the two prior attempts, explaining at the 2017 [[International Astronautical Congress]] that his role as chief engineer in the early Falcon 1 launches was not by choice and almost bankrupted the company before succeeding:<ref>{{Citation|author=Elon Musk|title=Making Life Multiplanetary {{!}} 2017 International Astronautical Congress|date=September 28, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdUX3ypDVwI&t=12m04s|access-date=November 28, 2018}}</ref>
<blockquote>
And the reason that I ended up being the chief engineer or chief designer, was not because I want to, it's because I couldn't hire anyone. Nobody good would join. So I ended up being that by default. And I messed up the first three launches. The first three launches failed. Fortunately the fourth launch which was – that was the last money that we had for Falcon 1 – the fourth launch worked, or that would have been it for SpaceX.
</blockquote>

Musk further explained the situation to [[Ars Technica]] journalist Eric Berger:<ref>{{Cite book|last=Berger|first=Eric|author-link=Eric Berger (meteorologist)|title=Liftoff|publisher=[[William Morrow and Company]]|year=2021|isbn=978-0-06-297997-1|pages=182}}</ref>
<blockquote>
At the time I had to allocate a lot of capital to [[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]] and [[SolarCity]], so I was out of money. We had three failures under our belt. So it's pretty hard to go raise money. [[Great Recession|The recession]] is starting to hit. The Tesla financing round that we tried to raise that summer had failed. I got divorced. I didn't even have a house. [[Justine Musk|My ex-wife]] had the house. So it was a shitty summer.
</blockquote>

===Fourth flight===
[[Image:Spacex 067.jpg|thumb|The second-stage [[Kestrel (rocket engine)|Kestrel engine]] glows red-hot during Falcon 1's fourth launch and first successful orbital flight.]]
{{Main|Ratsat}}
Following the three prior failures, the SpaceX team assembled the fourth rocket using available parts in six weeks as a last chance for the company. A [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III]] was chartered to quickly deliver the rocket, but along the way, the rocket partially [[Implosion (mechanical process)|imploded]] when repressurization exceeded what the SpaceX team had expected from the C-17's manual and the rocket had to undergo emergency repairs to be saved.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Berger|first=Eric|title=Liftoff|publisher=[[William Morrow and Company]]|year=2021|isbn=978-0-06-297997-1|pages=181–197}}</ref> Despite the challenges, the fourth flight of the Falcon 1 rocket successfully flew on September 28, 2008, delivering a 165-kilogram (363-pound) non-functional [[Boilerplate (spaceflight)|boilerplate]] spacecraft into [[low Earth orbit]].<ref name="SpaceX Falcon1 Flight4"/> It was Falcon&nbsp;1's first successful launch and the first successful [[geocentric orbit|orbital]] launch of any [[private spaceflight|privately funded and developed]], fully liquid-propelled carrier rocket.<ref name=sfn20080928/>

The launch occurred from [[Omelek Island]], part of the [[Kwajalein Atoll]] in the [[Marshall Islands]].<ref name="MSC">{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/004/status.html|title=Mission Status Center|last=Ray|first=Justin|date=September 28, 2008|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=September 28, 2008}}</ref> Liftoff occurred at 23:15&nbsp;UTC on September 28, 15 minutes into a 5-hour launch window. If the launch had been scrubbed, it could have been conducted during the same window until October 1.<ref name="SpaceX updates">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacex.com/F1-004.php|title=Falcon 1 Flight 4|last=Musk|first=Elon|date=September 27, 2008|publisher=SpaceX|access-date=September 28, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725225434/http://www.spacex.com/F1-004.php|archive-date=July 25, 2011}}</ref> 9 minutes 31 seconds after launch, the second-stage engine shut down, after the vehicle reached orbit.<ref name="MSC"/> The initial orbit was reported to be about 330 × 650&nbsp;km.<ref name=sfn20080928>
{{cite web |last=Clark|first=Stephen |title=Sweet Success at Last for Falcon 1 Rocket |date=September 28, 2008 |publisher=Spaceflight Now |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/004/index.html |access-date=April 6, 2011 |quote=the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to successfully reach orbit}}</ref>
Following a coast period, the second stage restarted and performed a successful second burn, resulting in a final orbit of 621 × 643&nbsp;km × 9.35°.

The rocket followed the same trajectory as the previous flight, which failed to place the [[Trailblazer (satellite)|Trailblazer]], [[NanoSail-D]], [[PRESat]] and [[Celestis|Celestis Explorers]] spacecraft into orbit. No major changes were made to the rocket, other than increasing the time between first-stage burnout and second-stage separation. This minor change addressed the failure seen on the previous flight, recontact between the first and second stages, by dissipating residual thrust in the first-stage engine before separating them.<ref name="F3">{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/news/080806-spacex-falcon1-update.html|title=SpaceX Traces Third Rocket Failure to Timing Error|last=Malik|first=Tariq|author2=Berger, Brian |date=August 6, 2008|publisher=Space.com|access-date=September 28, 2008}}</ref><ref name="SFN preview">{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/004/080927preview.html|title=SpaceX to launch its fourth Falcon 1 rocket on Sunday|last=Clark|first=Stephen|date=September 27, 2008|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=September 28, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |issn=0362-4331 | last = Schwartz | first = John | title = Private Company Launches Its Rocket Into Orbit | work = [[The New York Times]] | access-date = September 29, 2008 |date = September 29, 2008 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/science/space/29launch.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin}}</ref>

Ratsat and the attached second stage are still in orbit as of 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stuffin.space/?intldes=2008-048A&search=Falcon%201|website=stuffin.space|access-date=January 22, 2021|title=Stuff in Space}}</ref>

=== Fifth flight ===
{{Main|RazakSAT}}

SpaceX announced that it had completed construction of the fifth Falcon 1 rocket and was transporting the vehicle to the Kwajalein Atoll launch complex where it was to be launched on April 21, 2009, which would be April 20, 2009, in the United States.<ref name="MWN">{{cite web | last = Musk | first = Elon | title = Flight 4 Launch Update | work = Updates | publisher = [[SpaceX]] | date = March 17, 2009 | url = http://www.spacex.com/updates.php | access-date = September 23, 2008 | archive-date = April 5, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200405145315/http://www.spacex.com/updates.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> Less than a week before the scheduled launch date, [[Malaysia]]n news reported that unsafe vibration levels had been detected in the rocket and repairs were expected to take about six weeks.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/18/nation/3723070&sec=nation | title=Launch of RazakSAT postponed | work=The Star | date=April 18, 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604024021/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2009%2F4%2F18%2Fnation%2F3723070&sec=nation | archive-date=June 4, 2011 }}</ref> On April 20, 2009, SpaceX announced in a press release that the launch had been postponed because of a potential compatibility issue between the RazakSAT spacecraft and the Falcon 1 launch vehicle. A concern had been identified regarding the potential impact of predicted vehicle environments on the satellite.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.spacex.com/updates.php | title=Launch of RazakSAT postponed | publisher=SpaceX | date=April 20, 2009 | access-date=March 19, 2007 | archive-date=April 5, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405145315/http://www.spacex.com/updates.php | url-status=dead }}</ref> On June 1, SpaceX announced that the next launch window would open Monday, July 13 and extend through Tuesday, July 14, with a daily window to open at 21:00 UTC (09:00 local time<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parabolicarc.com/2009/06/02/spacex-sets-falcon-1-launch-july-13/ |title=SpaceX sets Falcon 1 Launch for July 13 |date=June 2, 2009 |author=Doug Messier |publisher=Parabolic Arc |access-date=June 24, 2017 |archive-date=December 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212193422/http://www.parabolicarc.com/2009/06/02/spacex-sets-falcon-1-launch-july-13/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>).

The launch on Monday, July 13 was successful, placing RazakSAT into its initial [[parking orbit]]. Thirty-eight minutes later, the rocket's second-stage engine fired again to circularize the orbit. The payload was then successfully deployed.<ref name="falcon005">{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon/005/status.html |title=Falcon Launch Report |publisher=Spaceflight Now}}</ref> After the launch [[Elon Musk]], founder and CEO of SpaceX, told a reporter the launch had been a success. "We nailed the orbit to well within target parameters...pretty much a bullseye" Musk said.<ref name="falcon005" />

The Falcon 1 upper stage is still in low Earth orbit as of 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stuffin.space/?intldes=2009-037B&search=2009-037|title=Stuff in Space|website=stuffin.space|access-date=January 22, 2021}}</ref>

===End of Program===

Following the fifth flight, future launches of Falcon-1 were postponed, and eventually cancelled, and the vehicle decommissioned from service,<ref>Caleb Henry (August 10, 2016). "[https://www.satellitetoday.com/business/2016/08/10/shotwell-falcon-1-will-not-return/ SpaceX's Shotwell: Falcon 1 Will not Return]", ''Via Satellite.''  Retrieved February 10, 2022.</ref> with SpaceX stating "We could not make Falcon 1 work as a business."<ref name=Foust2016 /> Launches which had been booked onto Falcon-1 were moved to other vehicles or rebooked as Falcon-9 rideshare payloads.<ref name=Foust2016>Jeff Foust (August 9, 2016). "[https://spacenews.com/spacex-offers-large-rockets-for-small-satellites/ SpaceX offers large rockets for small satellites]", ''Space News''. Retrieved February 10, 2022.</ref>