# B1042

> expended Falcon 9 first-stage booster

**Wikidata**: [Q97313027](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q97313027)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/b1042

## Summary
B1042 was a Falcon 9 Block 4 first-stage booster manufactured by SpaceX. It was expended during the launch of the Koreasat 5A satellite on October 30, 2017. As part of the Falcon 9 rocket series, it played a role in SpaceX's commercial satellite deployment efforts.

## Key Facts
- **Manufacturer**: SpaceX
- **Class**: Falcon 9 Block 4 (fourth major version of the Falcon 9 rocket)
- **Launch Date**: October 30, 2017 (carrying Koreasat 5A)
- **Status**: Expended (dissolved/abolished on October 30, 2017)
- **Preceded By**: B1041
- **Followed By**: B1043
- **Serial Number**: B1042 (assigned by SpaceX)
- **Country of Origin**: United States

## FAQs
### Q: What mission did B1042 support?
A: B1042 launched the Koreasat 5A communications satellite on October 30, 2017.

### Q: Was B1042 reused?
A: No, B1042 was expended after its single launch and not recovered or reused.

### Q: What rocket variant was B1042?
A: It was a Falcon 9 Block 4 booster, part of the fourth iteration of the Falcon 9 design.

## Why It Matters
B1042 represents a transitional phase in SpaceX's rocket development. As a Block 4 booster, it incorporated incremental upgrades from earlier Falcon 9 versions but preceded the more reusable Block 5 design. While it was expended after a single flight, its mission to deploy Koreasat 5A highlighted SpaceX's commercial launch capabilities. The booster's expendable nature contrasts with later reusable rockets, underscoring the evolution of SpaceX's cost-saving and sustainability goals. B1042's role in delivering critical telecommunications infrastructure (Koreasat 5A) also demonstrates the reliance on Falcon 9 rockets for global satellite operations.

## Notable For
- Supported the launch of Koreasat 5A, a satellite providing broadband and broadcast services in South Korea.
- Part of the Falcon 9 Block 4 series, which bridged earlier designs and the reusable Block 5.
- Expended after a single flight, reflecting pre-Block 5 recovery limitations.

## Body
### Launch and Mission
- **Date**: October 30, 2017
- **Payload**: Koreasat 5A (a South Korean communications satellite)
- **Outcome**: Successful deployment; booster expended post-launch.

### Specifications
- **Class**: Falcon 9 Block 4
- **Manufacturer**: SpaceX
- **Serial Number**: B1042
- **Country of Origin**: United States

### Legacy
- B1042 was part of SpaceX's iterative design process, contributing to the development of more advanced reusable boosters.
- Its expendable status highlighted technical limitations of pre-Block 5 rockets, which were not optimized for routine recovery and reuse.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "B1042",
  "description": "Expended Falcon 9 first-stage booster",
  "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:SpaceX_Falcon_9_B1042",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112970893",
    "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:SpaceX_Falcon_9_B1042"
  ],
  "manufacturer": "SpaceX",
  "serialNumber": "B1042",
  "countryOfOrigin": "United States",
  "significantEvent": {
    "@type": "Event",
    "name": "Koreasat 5A launch",
    "startDate": "2017-10-30"
  }
}

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report