Function | Super heavy-lift launch vehicle |
---|---|
Manufacturer | SpaceX |
Country of origin | United States |
Cost per launch | |
Size | |
Height | 70.0 m (229.6 ft)[3] |
Diameter | 3.7 m (12 ft) (each booster) |
Width | 12.2 m (40 ft) |
Mass | 1,420,000 kg (3,130,000 lb) |
Stages | 2.5 |
Capacity | |
Payload to LEO | |
Orbital inclination | 28.5° |
Mass |
|
Payload to GTO | |
Orbital inclination | 27.0° |
Mass | 26,700 kg (58,900 lb)[3] |
Payload to Mars | |
Mass | 16,800 kg (37,000 lb)[3] |
Payload to Pluto | |
Mass | 3,500 kg (7,700 lb)[3] |
Associated rockets | |
Based on | Falcon 9 |
Comparable | |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites |
|
Total launches | 11 |
Success(es) | 11 |
Landings |
|
First flight | 6 February 2018 (test flight) |
Type of passengers/cargo | |
Boosters | |
No. boosters | 2 |
Powered by | 9 × Merlin 1D per booster[3] |
Maximum thrust |
|
Total thrust |
|
Specific impulse | |
Burn time | 154.3 seconds |
Propellant | LOX / RP-1 |
First stage | |
Powered by | 9 × Merlin 1D[3] |
Maximum thrust |
|
Specific impulse |
|
Burn time | 187 seconds |
Propellant | LOX / RP-1 |
Second stage | |
Powered by | 1 × Merlin 1D Vacuum[3] |
Maximum thrust | 934 kN (210,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 348 s (3.41 km/s) |
Burn time | 397 seconds |
Propellant | LOX / RP-1 |
Falcon Heavy is a super heavy-lift launch vehicle[b] with partial reusability that can carry cargo into Earth orbit and beyond. It is designed, manufactured and launched by American aerospace company SpaceX.
The rocket consists of a center core on which two Falcon 9 boosters are attached, and a second stage on top of the center core.[6] Falcon Heavy has the second highest payload capacity of any currently operational launch vehicle behind NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), and the fourth-highest capacity of any rocket to reach orbit, trailing behind the SLS, Energia and the Saturn V.
SpaceX conducted Falcon Heavy's maiden launch on 6 February 2018, at 20:45 UTC.[7] As a dummy payload, the rocket carried a Tesla Roadster belonging to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, with a mannequin dubbed "Starman" in the driver's seat.[8] The second Falcon Heavy launch occurred on 11 April 2019, and all three booster rockets successfully returned to Earth.[9] The third Falcon Heavy launch successfully occurred on 25 June 2019. Since then, Falcon Heavy has been certified for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.[10]
Falcon Heavy was designed to be able to carry humans into space beyond low Earth orbit, although as of February 2018[update], SpaceX does not intend to transport people on Falcon Heavy, nor pursue the human-rating certification process to transport NASA astronauts.[11] Both Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 are expected to eventually be superseded by the Starship super-heavy lift launch vehicle, currently being developed.[12]
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