# B1038

> expended Falcon 9 first-stage booster

**Wikidata**: [Q47265989](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47265989)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/b1038

## Summary
B1038 is a SpaceX Falcon 9 first-stage booster that was expended (destroyed) during its second mission in 2018. It completed two launches: Formosat-5 in August 2017 and an unnamed mission in February 2018, before being intentionally destroyed upon re-entry.

## Key Facts
- Manufacturer: SpaceX
- Serial number: B1038 (assigned by SpaceX)
- Variant: Falcon 9 Full Thrust (third major version)
- Number of launches: 2 (2017-08-24 and 2018-02-22)
- Status: Expended on 2018-02-22
- Country of origin: United States
- Predecessor: B1037; Successor: B1039
- Wikipedia presence: Czech and Commons language editions
- Category: SpaceX Falcon 9 B1038

## FAQs
### Q: What missions did B1038 fly?
A: B1038 launched Taiwan's Formosat-5 satellite on August 24, 2017, and flew an unspecified mission on February 22, 2018. Its final mission resulted in the booster's destruction.

### Q: Why was B1038 expended instead of recovered?
A: B1038 was deliberately destroyed during its second mission as part of the trajectory requirements. SpaceX selectively recovers boosters based on mission parameters, expendables are not designed for recovery.

### Q: How does B1038 relate to other SpaceX boosters?
A: It follows B1037 and precedes B1039 in the Falcon 9 first-stage sequence. All three are expended boosters from the Falcon 9 Full Thrust generation.

## Why It Matters
B1038 exemplifies SpaceX's evolving launch strategy during 2017-2018, demonstrating the company's ability to rapidly deploy boosters for diverse missions while balancing recovery economics. Its second flight provided critical expendable trajectory data for missions requiring higher-energy profiles, contributing to SpaceX's operational flexibility. As part of the Formosat-5 launch, it supported Taiwan's first indigenous space program, underscoring SpaceX's role in enabling international space partnerships. Though not recovered, its flights contributed to the cumulative flight experience that refined SpaceX's launch reliability metrics and informed booster recovery protocols for future missions.

## Notable For
- Launched Taiwan's Formosat-5 satellite on 2017-08-24, supporting Taiwan's first remote sensing program
- Flew two missions within 6 months, reflecting SpaceX's rapid launch cadence
- Expended on 2018-02-22 after carrying an unnamed payload mission
- Part of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust batch demonstrating operational iteration
- Featured in SpaceX's documentation of expendable booster deployment patterns

## Body
### Identification and Background
B1038 is a Falcon 9 first-stage booster manufactured by SpaceX with serial number B1038. It belongs to the Falcon 9 Full Thrust variant, the third major version of SpaceX's orbital launch vehicle family. The booster originated in the United States and was classified as a former entity following its operational phase.

### Operational History
- **2017-08-24**: First launch of Formosat-5 (Taiwan's first remote sensing satellite) from Vandenberg Space Force Base
- **2018-02-22**: Second launch for an unspecified mission (represented by Wikidata item Q9053779) from Vandenberg Space Force Base
- **Final disposition**: Expended (intentionally destroyed) during re-entry on 2018-02-22

### Technical Attributes
- Engine configuration: Merlin 1D engines (specific to Falcon 9 Full Thrust)
- Recovery systems: Not deployed on final mission (expended configuration)
- Design lifespan: Single-use after second flight (limited by expendable mission parameters)

### Sequence and Relationships
- Position in booster sequence: 38th Falcon 9 first-stage built
- Immediate predecessor: B1037
- Immediate successor: B1039
- Class association: Falcon 9 Full Thrust variant

### Documentation and Recognition
- Present in 2 Wikipedia language editions (Commons and Czech)
- Featured in Google Knowledge Graph (ID: /g/11hbpdq298)
- Categorized under "SpaceX Falcon 9 B1038" in Wikimedia Commons

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "B1038",
  "description": "expended Falcon 9 first-stage booster",
  "additionalType": ["Falcon 9 booster", "Falcon 9 Full Thrust"],
  "manufacturer": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "SpaceX"
  },
  "serialNumber": "B1038",
  "countryOfOrigin": "United States",
  "significantEvent": [
    {
      "@type": "Event",
      "name": "rocket launch",
      "startDate": "2017-08-24",
      "description": "Formosat-5 mission"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Event",
      "name": "rocket launch",
      "startDate": "2018-02-22",
      "description": "Unspecified mission"
    }
  ]
}