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This question is related to reuse possibilities. One of the things that affects reuse is thermal cycling of the fuel tanks. (Consider how microfractures in the X-33 composite tank killed that project. Ok, political lack of will killed it, but that was the excuse).

Thus the question. With the DSCOVR Falcon 9 launch, Feb. 2015, we saw the core do the following fuel/defuel events:

  • McGregor testing: 1 fuel/burn it out. (We know they are all tested with a burn at Texas site)
  • Wet dress rehearsal: 1 fuel/defuel, 1-3 second burn.
  • First attempt, Feb. 8: 1 fuel/defuel
  • Second attempt, Feb. 10: 1 fuel/defuel
  • Third attempt, Feb. 11: 1 fuel (hopefully 1 launch, recovery, and eventually reuse).

Which F9 core has done the most of these cycles? There have been lots of scrubs, delays, tests, failed wet rehearsals, etc.

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    $\begingroup$ Surely it would be the F9R Dev 1 (Grasshopper v1.1). Any particular reason why you're excluding that one? $\endgroup$
    – TildalWave
    Commented Feb 10, 2015 at 23:45
  • $\begingroup$ @TildalWave I did not think of that one. Though I would say GH1 was fueled more times than GH2. $\endgroup$
    – geoffc
    Commented Feb 11, 2015 at 2:13
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    $\begingroup$ According to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper_%28rocket%29, GH1 flew 8 times. I would presume that it also underwent an acceptance test, so there's 9 propellant cycles. F9R dev 1 flew 5 times before it self-destructed, so assuming it also underwent an acceptance test, there's 6 times for the 1.1 architecture. I'm not sure about specific missions that might have required more cycles due to scrubs, like the DSCOVR mission you pointed out. $\endgroup$
    – Nickolai
    Commented Feb 12, 2015 at 19:45
  • $\begingroup$ @Nickolai Make that an answer! We can build on that answer. $\endgroup$
    – geoffc
    Commented Feb 12, 2015 at 19:53

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Building on TidalWave's observation, I've found the following from wikipedia:

Grasshopper 1.0 flew 8 times. I would presume that it also underwent an acceptance test, so there's 9 propellant cycles.

F9R dev 1 flew 5 times before it self-destructed, so assuming it also underwent an acceptance test, there's 6 times for the 1.1 architecture.

I'm not sure about specific missions that might have required more cycles due to scrubs, like the DSCOVR mission you pointed out.

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