Overview
Falcon 9 B1046 is the serial designation of a first‑stage booster of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Boosters are assigned a “B” (for booster) followed by a four‑digit number; B1046 identifies the 46th first‑stage booster produced in the Block 5 configuration, the final and most upgradable version of the Falcon 9.
Manufacture and Configuration
- Manufacturer: SpaceX, Hawthorne, California, USA
- Version: Block 5 (first introduced in 2018)
- Reusability: Designed for up to ten flights with minimal refurbishment, featuring grid‑fins, a reusable thrust‑vector control system, a landing‑leg assembly, and a heat‑shielded interstage.
Flight History
| Flight | Mission | Launch Date (UTC) | Primary Payload(s) | Landing Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CRS‑22 (Commercial Resupply Services) | 3 June 2021 | Cygnus NG‑19 cargo vehicle (ISS) | Successful landing on “Of Course I Still Love You” (ASDS) |
| 2 | Starlink 4‑2 | 2 July 2021 | 60 Starlink satellites | Successful landing on “A Shortfall of Gravitas” (ASDS) |
| 3 | Starlink 4‑3 | 8 July 2021 | 60 Starlink satellites | Successful landing on “A Shortfall of Gravitas” (ASDS) |
| 4 | Starlink 4‑4 | 14 July 2021 | 60 Starlink satellites | Landing failure – booster crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after a hard touchdown on the drone ship (ASDS) |
Notable Incident
During the fourth flight (Starlink 4‑4), Falcon 9 B1046 experienced a landing anomaly. Telemetry indicated a loss of hydraulic pressure to the landing‑leg actuators shortly before touchdown, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and impact with the ocean surface. SpaceX subsequently classified the booster as destroyed and removed it from the active fleet.
Current Status
As of the latest publicly available launch manifest (July 2026), Falcon 9 B1046 is not recoverable and is considered lost. The booster’s flight record—three successful recoveries and one loss—contributed data used to refine landing‑leg design and hydraulic system redundancy for subsequent Block 5 boosters.
References
- SpaceX launch manifest archives (publicly released launch logs).
- NASA Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program documentation for CRS‑22.
- Spaceflight news reports covering the Starlink 4‑4 landing anomaly (July 2021).
