DragonFly (rocket)

DragonFly is a prototype low-altitude rocket-powered test article for a propulsively-landed version of the SpaceX Dragon space capsule. DragonFly is a suborbital reusable launch vehicle (RLV), intended for low-altitude flight testing.

DragonFly is expected to undergo an extensive test program to support reusable rocket technology development for a cargo-carrying and passenger-carrying shuttle capsule. The testing started in Texas at the McGregor Rocket Test Facility in October 2015, although it was originally expected to start in 2014.

In May 2014, SpaceX publicly announced an extensive test program for a propulsively-landed space capsule called DragonFly. The tests was to be run in Texas at the McGregor Rocket Test Facility in 2014–2015.

A Final Environmental Assessment was issued by the FAA in August 2014. The FAA determined that the DragonFly test program "would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment." The assessment estimated that the program would take two years for SpaceX to complete and considered a total of 30 annual operations of the DragonFly test vehicle in each year of operation. The permit must be renewed with the FAA to continue to test the spacecraft.

SpaceX received a renewal permit from the FAA on July 29, 2016 to continue another year of flight testing.

The DragonFly test vehicle is powered by eight SuperDraco hypergolic rocket engines, arranged in a redundant pattern to support fault-tolerance in the propulsion system design. SuperDracos use a storable propellant combination of monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer (NTO), the same propellants used in the much smaller Draco thrusters used for attitude control and maneuvering on the first-generation Dragon spacecraft. While SuperDraco engines are capable of 73,000 newtons (16,400 lbf) of thrust, during use on DragonFly flight test vehicle each will be throttled to less than 68,170 newtons (15,325 lbf) to maintain vehicle stability.

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