Payload Fairing The spacecraft and upper stage are housed within the payload fairing , which has a diameter of 2.9 meters (9.5 feet). The payload fairing is the equipment used to protect the spacecraft and the third stage during the early portion of the boost phase when the aerodynamic forces from the atmosphere could affect the rocket.
Payload Fairing The spacecraft rides into the sky inside a protective payload fairing atop the Centaur stage. With the payload fairing on top, the vehicle stands approximately 191 feet (58 meters) tall when it is ready for launch. Atlas V-541 Payload Fairing from NASA’s Mars 2020 mission, CHAPTER 4 PAYLOAD FAIRING 4.1 Introduction The fairing is designed to limit the aerodynamic thermal load transmitted to the satellite and attenuate the acoustic loads from the main engines during launch. Figure 4-1 Payload Faring Encapsulation on Launch Pad, Though it may sound simple, the Payload Fairing is a complex structure consisting of many critical parts. It has to be lightweight but structurally strong to withstand hypersonic airflow, pressure, and high temperature during a rocket ascent. The fairing has to be lightweight to maximize the rocket’s payload. For example, there are two fairings.
5/2/2018 · SpaceX has been experimenting during recent launches with recovering the payload fairing at the top of its Falcon 9 rocket. The fairing is a $6 million shroud that protects the satellite during …
The PLF is an aerodynamic nose fairing . It provides protection for the payload (satellite) and upper stages from external environments during prelaunch, launch and ascent conditions.
