SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful operational rocket
SpaceX's powerful Falcon Heavy rocket took off Tuesday morning from Florida for a classified national security mission for the Space Force known as USSF-44.
Despite thick fog around pad 39A, the three-core rocket launched from Kennedy Space Center at 9:41 a.m. EDT, then landed its two side boosters at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Falcon Heavy, the most powerful operational rocket in the world, was built by Elon Musk's SpaceX as a stepping stone to establishing a colony on Mars. The 230-feet-tall rocket is partially reusable and has three boosters that can produce 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.
Why is it called Falcon Heavy?
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk is a known science fiction fan so it’s no surprise he named his series of Falcon rockets after the Millennium Falcon in the “Star Wars” movies. The Falcon Heavy is named for its heavy payload capabilities. The Falcon 9 refers to the nine engines that power its first stage.
What is Falcon Heavy used for?
This kind of rocket is usually reserved for very large or heavy payloads or payloads destined for locations extremely far away from Earth. Its latest mission is classified. All we know is that it will carry several payloads for the Space Force.
Are there other rockets like it?
Yes, the concept of heavy lift rockets is not new.
The Space Shuttle was a heavy lift rocket and there are several heavy lift launchers around the world. NASA has its Space Launch System, nicknamed SLS. United Launch Alliance has Delta IV Heavy and there's the European version, Arianespace's Ariane 5 – both of which are soon to be retired for newer, more robust models.
China has the Long March 5 and Russia has the Proton-M. Several other heavy-lift rockets are in development.
What stands out for Flacon Heavy is that it can lift more than twice the payload (141,000 pounds) of the Delta IV Heavy.
How many times has Falcon Heavy launched
The November mission will mark only the fourth time the rocket has flown.
Falcon Heavy's test flight with Starman launched Feb. 6, 2018. The maiden flight successfully landed two side boosters simultaneously at Cape Canaveral. A third booster failed to land on a platform in the ocean.
On its second flight on April 11, 2019, SpaceX got all three boosters to land successfully.
Its third launch was in June 2019. That mission was for the Department of Defense's Space Test Program-2 mission. Twenty-four satellites were on board, including four NASA payloads.
Payload readiness issues resulting in multiyear delays have been the primary plague of Falcon Heavy missions. SpaceX expected at least two Falcon Heavy missions in 2021 – a national security payload, USSF-67, and NASA's Psyche spacecraft, which will study asteroids.
NASA has contracted at least three other Falcon Heavy missions. These include pieces of the Gateway lunar outpost, the Europa Clipper that will study one of Jupiter's moons, and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
Over the coming years, however, Falcon Heavy launch activity can be expected to tick up, although not nearly as sharply as Falcon 9 launches.
How much does it cost to launch Falcon Heavy?
The cost of launch recently went up. The cost to launch a Falcon Heavy rocket will now run $97 million, up from $90 million.
The services page at SpaceX.com notes that pricing adjustments were made in March 2022 "to account for excessive levels of inflation. Missions purchased in 2022 but flown beyond 2023 may be subject to additional adjustments due to inflation.”
Follow live updates from Florida Today below:
The Falcons have landed
9:49 a.m. EDT: The two side boosters have completed near-simultaneous landings at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's dual landing zones.
Liftoff!
9:41 a.m. EDT: Liftoff! SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launches from Florida, double booster landing expected shortly.
Inside 10 minutes
9:31 a.m. EDT: Less than 10 minutes remain until the Falcon Heavy liftoff attempt from Kennedy Space Center. Everything remains "go" for an on-time liftoff. Today's USSF-44 mission for the U.S. Space Force will mark only the fourth time the most powerful rocket in use has ever flown.
Inside 30 minutes
9:11 a.m. EDT: SpaceX continues to fill all three Falcon Heavy first-stage boosters with propellant. Fueling of the second stage has also begun. All systems and the weather continue to track "go" for a launch attempt at 9:41 a.m. EDT.
"Go" for fueling
8:48 a.m. EDT: The joint SpaceX and Space Force teams have polled "go" to begin fueling Falcon Heavy's three core boosters and upper stage.
Good morning from KSC!
7:45 a.m. EDT: Good morning from a foggy Kennedy Space Center, where we're waiting for visibility to clear ahead of this morning's SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch. Liftoff still on target for 9:41 a.m. EDT.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket on mission for Space Force
