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The first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle can land vertically, making it recoverable and therefore reusable. Many components contribute to the control system used for reentry and landing. One of these components is the grid fins. Located near the top of the rocket's first stage, grid fins are deployed during reentry. They help control lift during reentry, thereby guiding the booster to a soft landing on a landing pad or on a spaceport drone ship.

Grid fins have been in use for several decades. Their distinctive shape and lattice interior have given them the nicknames of 'potato mashers' and 'waffle irons.'

This grid fin flew on the Falcon 9 that launched South Korean communications satellite Koreasat-5A on October 30, 2017. After launch, the first stage landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

The grid fin was donated by SpaceX in 2022.

Display Status

This object is on display in Futures In Space at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Futures In Space

Object Details

Date

2017

Country of Origin

United States of America

Type

CRAFT-Missile & Rocket Parts

Dimensions

3-D (L x W x H) (Overall): 157.5 × 123.2 × 39.4cm (5 ft. 2 in. × 4 ft. 1/2 in. × 1 ft. 3 1/2 in.)
3-D (L x W x H) (Grid Fin on original Pallet - Weight includes pallet): 254.5kg (561lb.)
3-D (L x W x H) (Grid Fin with DisplayStand, standfork attachments and woodpallet): 295.7kg (652lb.)

Materials

Aluminum
Cork
RTV silicone

Inventory Number

A20220607000

Credit Line

Gift of SpaceX

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply
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