# B1031

> retired Falcon 9 first-stage booster

**Wikidata**: [Q41962523](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41962523)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/b1031

## Summary
B1031 is a retired Falcon 9 first-stage booster manufactured by SpaceX. Identified by the serial number B1031, it is part of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust version and was utilized for notable missions including SpaceX CRS-10 and EchoStar 105/SES-11 in 2017. The booster originates from the United States and holds the distinction of being retired rather than expended during its operational history.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** B1031 is a "Falcon 9 booster" and an instance of the "Falcon 9 Full Thrust" launch vehicle version.
- **Manufacturer:** SpaceX.
- **Country of Origin:** United States.
- **Serial Number:** B1031.
- **Status:** Retired.
- **Significant Mission 1:** SpaceX CRS-10 (launched on February 19, 2017).
- **Significant Mission 2:** EchoStar 105/SES-11 (launched on October 10, 2017).
- **Sequence:** It follows booster B1030 and is followed by booster B1032.
- **Identifiers:** Google Knowledge Graph ID `/g/11gbzbclby`; Aliases include Falcon 9 B1031 and SpaceX Falcon 9 B1031.

## FAQs
### Q: What type of rocket booster is B1031?
A: B1031 is a first-stage booster from the Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket, the third major version of SpaceX's orbital launch vehicle. It was manufactured by SpaceX in the United States.

### Q: Which missions did B1031 fly?
A: According to recorded significant events, B1031 was used for the rocket launches of SpaceX CRS-10 on February 19, 2017, and EchoStar 105/SES-11 on October 10, 2017.

### Q: What is the operational status of B1031?
A: B1031 is currently classified as retired. Unlike some other boosters in its sequence (such as B1030 and B1032, which are listed as expended), B1031 was withdrawn from service.

### Q: Where does B1031 fit in the SpaceX production sequence?
A: B1031 was manufactured immediately after the B1030 booster and immediately before the B1032 booster.

## Why It Matters
B1031 serves as a specific case study in the evolution of SpaceX's reusability strategy during a critical operational period in 2017. As a unit of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust version—the third major iteration of the Falcon 9 vehicle—it represents the transition from experimental recovery to routine operational reuse.

The booster's history is significant because it supported two distinct, high-profile launches within an eight-month window (February to October 201). The first, SpaceX CRS-10, was a Commercial Resupply Service mission to the International Space Station, indicating the booster's reliability for critical infrastructure delivery. The second, EchoStar 105/SES-11, demonstrates its capability to deliver commercial satellite payloads.

Furthermore, B1031 is noted for its "retired" status. In the lineage of Falcon 9 boosters, particularly when compared to its immediate neighbors B1030 and B1032 (which are explicitly categorized as "expended"), B1031's retirement suggests it was successfully recovered multiple times but ultimately taken out of service rather than destroyed during a mission. This distinction highlights the early lifecycle management of reusable rocket hardware, where boosters were often retired after a set number of flights or repurposed for testing, serving as a testament to the engineering durability of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust architecture.

## Notable For
- **Retired Status:** Unlike its immediate predecessors and successors in the serial log (B1030 and B1032), which were expended, B1031 was retired, implying successful recovery and end-of-life withdrawal.
- **Dual Mission History:** It successfully supported two separate orbital class missions in 2017 (CRS-10 and SES-11).
- **Falcon 9 Full Thrust Class:** It belongs to the third major version of the Falcon 9, a class critical to SpaceX's modern reusability feats.
- **Rapid Reuse Era:** Its operation in early and late 2017 places it firmly in the era where SpaceX solidified its reusability program.

## Body

### Manufacturer and Classification
B1031 is an aerospace vehicle manufactured by SpaceX in the United States. Structurally, it is defined as a "Falcon 9 booster" and belongs to the "Falcon 9 Full Thrust" class of launch vehicles. This class represents the third major version of the Falcon 9 rocket designed for orbital launch capabilities.

### Operational Timeline and Missions
The booster's active service record includes significant flight events primarily in 2017.
- **February 19, 2017:** B1031 was utilized for the rocket launch of **SpaceX CRS-10**, a mission focused on cargo resupply.
- **October 10, 2017:** The booster performed a second significant launch for the **EchoStar 105/SES-11** mission.

### Serial Sequence and Context
In the SpaceX manufacturing sequence, B1031 is positioned between two other specific boosters:
- **Preceded by:** B1030 (an expended Falcon 9 first-stage booster).
- **Followed by:** B1032 (an expended Falcon 9 first-stage booster).

Despite being sandwiched between boosters that were "expended" (destroyed or lost during mission), B1031 is uniquely categorized as **retired**.

### Identifiers and Aliases
The entity is known by several aliases in databases and common usage:
- Falcon 9 B1031
- Falcon 9 booster B1031
- SpaceX Falcon 9 B1031

It is indexed in the Google Knowledge Graph with the ID `/g/11gbzbclby` and has an associated media category on Wikimedia Commons titled "SpaceX Falcon 9 B1031."

## Schema Markup
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "B1031",
  "description": "A retired Falcon 9 first-stage booster manufactured by SpaceX, part of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust version.",
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  "additionalType": "Falcon 9 booster",
  "image": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Falcon_9_first_stage_lands_on_LZ-1_(32153432924)_(cropped).jpg"
}