Falcon Heavy First Launch
SpaceX launched Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful operational rocket
February 06, 2018
The World's Most Powerful Rocket
On February 6, 2018, SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center — the same pad used by the Apollo Moon missions. At liftoff, its 27 Merlin engines produced more thrust than any rocket since NASA's Saturn V. The vehicle could carry more than 63 metric tons to low Earth orbit — more than any other operational rocket in the world at that time. The launch was broadcast live to millions of viewers around the globe.
A Car in Space
For a test launch payload, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk chose his own red Tesla Roadster. The car was mounted on the upper stage with a spacesuit-clad mannequin called "Starman" in the driver's seat. A camera mounted on the car captured striking images of Earth in the background. The Roadster was sent on an orbit that takes it out past Mars — it is now drifting through the inner solar system and will continue orbiting the Sun for millions of years.
The Booster Landing
What made the launch truly spectacular was the recovery of the two side boosters. They separated from the core stage and flew back to Cape Canaveral, landing simultaneously on two pads just 300 meters apart in a perfectly synchronized maneuver. The core booster attempted to land on a drone ship at sea but missed. Still, the twin booster landing was a defining moment for reusable rocketry. Falcon Heavy has since launched classified military satellites, lunar landers, and commercial payloads, cementing SpaceX's role in the future of space access.