SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful rocket

Source: CNN | February 6, 2018 | Jackie Wattles

The pioneering rocket firm just pulled off the unexpected, and carried out what appears to be a seamless first-ever launch of its massive new rocket, called Falcon Heavy.

That makes SpaceX, the game-changing company helmed by billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the owner of the world’s most powerful operational rocket.

Falcon Heavy took flight Tuesday around 3:45 pm ET from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

About two and a half minutes after launch, the two side boosters on the rocket detached and headed back to Earth.

Falcon Heavy

……

The rocket’s smooth takeoff wasn’t the only stunning thing about this launch.

In a never-before-seen feat, SpaceX also managed to guide at least two of the Falcon Heavy’s first-stage rocket boosters to land upright back on Earth. They cut back through the Earth’s atmosphere and landed in unison at a Kennedy Space Center landing pad. The third booster was supposed to land on a sea-faring platform called a droneship, but it wasn’t immediately clear if that landing was successful.

On board the rocket that’s now headed deeper into space is Musk’s personal Tesla (TSLA) roadster. At the wheel is a dummy dressed in a spacesuit, and the car is blaring David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” on an endless loop. Cameras on board the car showed it headed deeper into space. Musk plans to put the car into orbit around the sun.

…….

It’s not, however, the most powerful rocket in history. That honor belongs to NASA’s Saturn V rocket, which was used for the Apollo moon landings and was retired in the 1970s.

Tagged: ,

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.