“Falcon Heavy is a partially reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle[a] 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. Falcon Heavy has the second highest payload capacity of any currently operational launch vehicle behind NASA’s Space Launch System, 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. 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. The second Falcon Heavy launch occurred on 11 April 2019, and all three booster rockets successfully returned to Earth. 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.“
February 6, 2018 fuel venting during fueling of the Space X Falcon Heavy 19 minutes 25 seconds prior to launch. The rocket hidden by the launch tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.Pam and Mike Wills in place at a prime spot for the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch. Kennedy Space Center, Apollo-Saturn V Center. February 6, 2018. 00:10:49 before launch.February 6, 2018 fuel venting, fueling complete 1 minute 20 seconds prior to launch. The rocket hidden by the launch tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, 3 seconds prior to launch. The rocket hidden by the launch tower. The cloud is water released into the launch platform under pressure from the water tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch 2 seconds prior to launch. The rocket hidden by the launch tower. The cloud is water released into the launch platform under pressure from the water tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center loking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy engine ignition. The moment of engine ignition, the rocket hidden by the launch tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center loking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 1 second. Ignition visible, tower connections falling away. Rocket nose visible to right of tower lightening rod. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center loking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 2 seconds. Rocket lift-off fully underway. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 4 seconds. Rocket not yet clear of launch tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 5 seconds. A heron flies to the right of launch tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 6 seconds. Rocket is just clear of launch tower. At 230 feet in 6 seconds it is travelling at 26.1 miles per hour. A heron flies to right of launch tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 7 seconds. Rocket is clear of the launch tower. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 7 seconds. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 8 seconds. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 9 seconds. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center looking across the Banana River to Launch Complex 39A, 3.9 miles away.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 12 seconds. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 20 seconds. The rocket has rolled a few degrees, all boosters are visible. The Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 25 seconds. All boosters are visible. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 26 seconds. All boosters are visible. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 32 seconds. A boosters are visible. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 1 minute 11 seconds. The boosters have throttled back. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 1 minute 57 seconds. The cloud was formed from the throttled back boosters. The rocket is visible near center of frame. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 6 minutes 37 seconds. Firing thrusterrs of the two returning boosters are visible a bit above the center of frame. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 7 minutes 50 seconds. Both boosters visible firing thrusters between the SLS Launch Tower and NASA Vehicle Assembly Building. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center loking across the Banana River.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 8 minutes 2 seconds. Both boosters visible firing thrusters between the SLS Launch Tower and NASA Vehicle Assembly Building. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center loking across the Banana River.February 6, 2018 Space X Falcon Heavy, launch plus 8 minutes 3 seconds. Both boosters visible firing thrusters between the SLS Launch Tower and NASA Vehicle Assembly Building. Taken from Kennedy Space Center Apollo-Saturn V Center loking across the Banana River.
“Falcon Heavy was designed to be able to carry humans into space beyond low Earth orbit, although as of February 2018, SpaceX does not intend to transport people on Falcon Heavy, nor pursue the human-rating certification process to transport NASA astronauts. Both Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 are expected to eventually be superseded by the Starship launch system, currently being developed.“
“On 6 February 2018, after a delay of over two hours due to high winds, Falcon Heavy lifted off at 20:45 UTC. Its side boosters landed safely on Landing Zones 1 and 2 a few minutes later. However, only one of the three engines on the center booster that were intended to restart ignited during descent, causing the booster to be destroyed upon impacting the ocean at a speed of over 480 km/h (300 mph).“
“Initially, Elon Musk tweeted that the Roadster had overshot its planned heliocentric orbit, and would reach the asteroid belt. Later, observations by telescopes showed that the Roadster would only slightly exceed the orbit of Mars at aphelion.“
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 