Falcon 9· guided tour

Octaweb

the engine holder

The nine engines are not in a random bunch. Eight sit in a circle with one right in the middle — that pattern is called the octaweb. It spreads the enormous push evenly into the bottom of the rocket instead of bending it.

Engines

9 × Merlin 1D

Pattern

8 in a ring + 1 centre

Total push

7,600 kN

How it works

Nine engines instead of one big one is a safety trick. If one engine stops working, the other eight can burn a little longer and still finish the job. A rocket with a single engine has no such option.

For the grown-up

The octaweb is a welded aluminium structure that transfers thrust loads into the tank skirt while isolating each engine bay. Engine-out capability is real and has been demonstrated in flight — CRS-1 lost engine 1 at T+79 s and still delivered its primary payload.

Falcon 9 Block 5 — specifications