# B1025

> Falcon 9 first-stage booster, converted to a Falcon Heavy side booster; retired

**Wikidata**: [Q42710164](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q42710164)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/b1025

## Summary
B1025 is a retired SpaceX Falcon 9 first-stage booster that was converted to serve as a side booster for the Falcon Heavy. Manufactured in the United States as part of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust variant, it is notable for its role in the SpaceX CRS-9 mission and the Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission.

## Key Facts
- **Identity:** Serial number B1025; also known as Falcon 9 booster B1025.
- **Classification:** Instance of a Falcon 9 booster (Falcon 9 Full Thrust version) and a retired vehicle.
- **Manufacturer:** SpaceX.
- **Country of Origin:** United States.
- **Predecessor:** Follows B1024, a destroyed Falcon 9 first-stage booster.
- **Mission 1:** Supported the SpaceX CRS-9 rocket launch on July 18, 2016.
- **Mission 2:** Served as a side booster for the Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission on February 6, 2018.
- **Status:** Retired.
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/11gd1bw3ly.

## FAQs
### Q: What distinguishes B1025 from other Falcon 9 boosters?
A: B1025 was a standard Falcon 9 first-stage booster that was physically converted to function as a side booster for the Falcon Heavy rocket, allowing it to be used in a different launch configuration than originally built.

### Q: Which significant space missions did B1025 participate in?
A: B1025 participated in two major events: the SpaceX CRS-9 resupply mission to the International Space Station in July 2016 and the historic Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission in February 2018.

### Q: Is B1025 still in active service?
A: No, B1025 is currently classified as retired. It is no longer used for orbital launch operations.

## Why It Matters
B1025 serves as a critical example of SpaceX’s iterative engineering and hardware adaptability. Originally manufactured as a Falcon 9 Full Thrust first-stage booster, its conversion into a side booster for the Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission illustrates the modular design philosophy central to SpaceX's cost-reduction strategy. This vehicle successfully bridged the gap between two distinct launch platforms, proving that flight-proven hardware from single-stick rockets could be repurposed for heavy-lift configurations.

The booster's career highlights a pivotal moment in commercial aerospace history. Its first mission, CRS-9, supported the routine logistics of the International Space Station, while its final mission contributed to the debut of the Falcon Heavy, one of the most powerful operational rockets in the world. By successfully completing the Demonstration Mission on February 6, 2018, B1025 helped validate the complex aerodynamics and thrust control required for multi-core rockets. This demonstration paved the way for future heavy-lift missions, altering the landscape of launch services by offering a reusable alternative to traditional expendable rockets. B1025 remains a subject of interest in the lineage of SpaceX manufacturing, directly following the destroyed B1024 unit in the production sequence.

## Notable For
- **Conversion:** Being a Falcon 9 booster converted into a Falcon Heavy side booster.
- **Historic Launch:** Participation in the Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission (2018).
- **ISS Resupply:** Launching the SpaceX CRS-9 mission.
- **Hardware Longevity:** Transitioning from the Falcon 9 Full Thrust variant to the Falcon Heavy architecture.

## Body
### Manufacturing and Specifications
B1025 was manufactured by SpaceX in the United States. It is classified as an instance of the **Falcon 9 Full Thrust** launch vehicle, which represents the third major version of the Falcon 9 orbital rocket. The booster is identified by the serial number **B1025** and holds aliases including "Falcon 9 B1025" and "SpaceX Falcon 9 B1025."

### Mission History
The operational life of B1025 included at least two significant flight events recorded in the knowledge base:

*   **SpaceX CRS-9 (July 18, 2016):** B1025 functioned as the first-stage booster for this mission, designated as a rocket launch event associated with SpaceX's Commercial Resupply Services.
*   **Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission (February 6, 2018):** For this event, B1025 was utilized as a **side booster**. This mission marked a major milestone as part of the Falcon Heavy program.

### Lineage and Status
In the sequence of SpaceX booster production, B1025 follows **B1024**, a Falcon 9 booster that was destroyed. Following its service in the Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission, B1025 was designated as **retired**. Visual records of the booster are available in the Wikimedia Commons category "SpaceX Falcon 9 B1025."