Elon Musk’s Falcon Heavy successfully launched into space
As thousands of spectators looked on, the rocket, developed by Muskâs firm SpaceX, lifted clear of Cape Canaveralâs launchpad 39a on 6th Feb at 3:45 PM ET, marking what will surely be seen as a defining moment in the history of the private space sector.
With the launch, the vehicle has become the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two. Composed of three Falcon 9 nine-engine cores whose 27 Merlin engines together generate more than five million pounds of thrust at liftoff, the spacecraft is able to lift into orbit nearly 64 metric tons (141,000 lb). This is more than twice the payload of the next most powerful rocket, Boeingâs Delta IV Heavy. Critically, largely because key components of the system are designed to return to earth after launch, it can do this at one-third the cost.
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