"Smithsonian Showcases SpaceX's Historic Flight-Proven Rocket Hardware"
SpaceX has donated a used Merlin engine and a grid fin to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The artifacts, which were part of the Falcon 9 rockets, will be displayed in an upcoming exhibition exploring the future of spaceflight. The Merlin engine was used in the launch of SpaceIL's failed moon lander in 2019, as well as in two other Falcon 9 rocket launches. The grid fin helped deliver SpaceX its 19th recovered first stage. The Smithsonian is the latest institution to receive donations from SpaceX, joining other museums and visitor centers across the United States.
