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Not 100% sure, but each stage has multiple COPVs and there are two stages per vehicle, plus each vehicle is loaded multiple times (minimum two, for the static f

Not 100% sure, but each stage has multiple COPVs and there are two stages per vehicle, plus each vehicle is loaded multiple times (minimum two, for the static fire and the actual launch, and possibly more than that), so 700 occurrences of an individual COPV being loaded over the history of SpaceX (with ~30 total launches) is not totally ridiculous.

mikeash 10y ago
I believe it's a minimum of 3 loads per vehicle, as they're also tested at McGregor, Texas before being shipped to the launch site. Launch scrubs after propellant loading would add more, as would R&D testing. They've done almost 30 Falcon 9 launches now. If there are 4 per vehicle and 3 loads per launch, that's about 360 loads just from that.
- bewaretheirs 10y ago
  The design which failed in September has three COPVs just in the second stage LOX tank - for a picture, see http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/wp-content/uploads/sites/104/2016/09/9420707_orig.jpg; http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/wp-content/uploads... there are additional helium COPVs in the (much larger) first stage LOX tank.
  - dgritsko 10y ago
    Link not working, FYI.
  - mikeash 10y ago
    Ah, I just assumed it was 3 in S1 (as mentioned in another comment) and 1 in S1 (pulled out of my rear). If it's 6 per vehicle, that would mean at least 540 fills, not counting scrubs and R&D tests. For the broken link, there's just a stray semicolon at the end. Working version: http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/wp-content/uploads/sites/104/2016/09/9420707_orig.jpg http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/wp-content/uploads...
JshWright 10y ago
I don't believe they are counting all the separate COPVs per rocket. 30 launches, with multiple static fires, wet dress rehearsals, acceptance testing, and the launch itself... it adds up quick. That's just for the actual production flights, as well. Add in all their testing (Grasshopper, etc), and I have no problem believing they have tanked propellants on over 700 occasions.

mikeash 10y ago

I believe it's a minimum of 3 loads per vehicle, as they're also tested at McGregor, Texas before being shipped to the launch site. Launch scrubs after propellant loading would add more, as would R&D testing. They've done almost 30 Falcon 9 launches now. If there are 4 per vehicle and 3 loads per launch, that's about 360 loads just from that.

bewaretheirs 10y ago
The design which failed in September has three COPVs just in the second stage LOX tank - for a picture, see http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/wp-content/uploads/sites/104/2016/09/9420707_orig.jpg; http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/wp-content/uploads... there are additional helium COPVs in the (much larger) first stage LOX tank.
- dgritsko 10y ago
  Link not working, FYI.
- mikeash 10y ago
  Ah, I just assumed it was 3 in S1 (as mentioned in another comment) and 1 in S1 (pulled out of my rear). If it's 6 per vehicle, that would mean at least 540 fills, not counting scrubs and R&D tests. For the broken link, there's just a stray semicolon at the end. Working version: http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/wp-content/uploads/sites/104/2016/09/9420707_orig.jpg http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/wp-content/uploads...

JshWright 10y ago

I don't believe they are counting all the separate COPVs per rocket. 30 launches, with multiple static fires, wet dress rehearsals, acceptance testing, and the launch itself... it adds up quick. That's just for the actual production flights, as well. Add in all their testing (Grasshopper, etc), and I have no problem believing they have tanked propellants on over 700 occasions.