# B1053

> expended Falcon Heavy side booster

**Wikidata**: [Q112174348](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112174348)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/b1053

## Summary
B1053 was a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 first-stage booster configured as a side booster for the Falcon Heavy launch vehicle. Manufactured in the United States by SpaceX, it supported three missions—Arabsat-6A, STP-2, and ViaSat-3 Americas—between April 2019 and May 2023. The booster was expended during the ViaSat-3 Americas mission on May 1, 2023.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Falcon 9 Block 5 booster; instance of a "demolished or destroyed" (expended) former entity.
- **Manufacturer:** SpaceX.
- **Serial Number:** B1053.
- **Preceded By:** B1052 (an expended Falcon Heavy side booster convertible to Falcon 9).
- **Succeeded By:** B1054 (an expended Falcon 9 first-stage booster).
- **Mission 1:** Arabsat-6A (Falcon Heavy) on April 11, 2019.
- **Mission 2:** STP-2 (Falcon Heavy) on June 25, 2019.
- **Mission 3:** ViaSat-3 Americas (Falcon Heavy) on May 1, 2023.
- **Final Status:** Expended (dissolved/abolished/demolished) on May 1, 2023.

## FAQs
### Q: What type of vehicle was B1053?
A: B1053 was a Falcon 9 Block 5 booster modified to serve as a side booster for the Falcon Heavy rocket, rather than standing alone as a single-stick launch vehicle.

### Q: How many times did B1053 fly?
A: B1053 flew three times. It participated in the Falcon Heavy launches for Arabsat-6A (2019), STP-2 (2019), and ViaSat-3 Americas (2023).

### Q: Does B1053 still exist?
A: No. B1053 is listed as a "former entity" and was officially "expended" (destroyed during mission operations) on May 1, 2023, during the ViaSat-3 Americas mission.

## Why It Matters
B1053 represents a specific segment of SpaceX's fleet strategy known as "heritage hardware." As a Falcon 9 Block 5 booster adapted for the Falcon Heavy, it illustrates the engineering modularity of SpaceX rockets, where core stages could be swapped between Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy configurations (though B1053 is notably distinct from convertibles like B1052, serving strictly as a side booster in its documented history).

Its operational history bridges the early commercial phase of Falcon Heavy (Arabsat-6A) to critical government payload deployments (STP-2) and later high-throughput satellite communications (ViaSat-3 Americas). The decision to expend B1053 in 2023 for the ViaSat-3 Americas mission highlights the trade-offs SpaceX makes: sacrificing the hardware to maximize payload delivery to orbit rather than recovering it for reuse. This trajectory—from recovery to final expenditure—provides a case study in the lifecycle management of reusable rocketry.

## Notable For
- Serving as a **side booster** for the Falcon Heavy, contributing to the thrust necessary to lift heavy payloads.
- Having a **four-year operational gap** between its second flight (2019) and third flight (2023).
- Being a **Block 5 variant**, the final major iteration of the Falcon 9 architecture designed for rapid reusability.
- Its final designation as an **expended** asset, marking the end of its service life.

## Body

### Design and Origin
B1053 was an orbital class rocket booster manufactured by SpaceX in the United States. Identified by the serial number B1053, it belonged to the Falcon 9 Block 5 class, the most current version of the Falcon 9 vehicle as of its operational period. While structurally a Falcon 9 first stage, it was utilized specifically as a side booster to augment the core stage of the Falcon Heavy.

### Mission History
The booster supported three significant Falcon Heavy launches:

*   **Arabsat-6A (April 11, 2019):** B1053's first recorded launch was a Falcon Heavy mission carrying the Arabsat-6A communications satellite.
*   **STP-2 (June 25, 2019):** Approximately two months later, B1053 supported the Department of Defense Space Test Program-2 (STP-2), a complex mission deploying multiple satellites.
*   **ViaSat-3 Americas (May 1, 2023):** After a hiatus of nearly four years, B1053 was reactivated for the launch of the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite.

### Final Disposition
Unlike many Falcon 9 boosters that are recovered and reflown, B1053 was "expended" during its final mission. On May 1, 2023, the booster was deliberately destroyed as part of the mission profile for ViaSat-3 Americas, likely to provide the maximum performance required to deliver the heavy payload to its target orbit. Consequently, B1053 is now classified as a "former entity."

## Schema Markup
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  "description": "A SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 booster utilized as an expended side booster for Falcon Heavy missions.",
  "image": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/190411-F-UT715-1072_(crop).jpg",
  "identifier": {
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  "manufacturer": {
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  "countryOfOrigin": "United States",
  "additionalType": "Falcon 9 Block 5 booster"
}