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Space X’s Falcon Heavy Rocket: Specs, Size, History, And More

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Space X’s Falcon Heavy Rocket: Specs, Size, History, And More

On July 16, 1969, the United States launched the Saturn V, the world’s largest rocket. Capable of payloads of as much as 140 tons (310,000lbs), the space vehicle was used to transport passengers beyond lower Earth orbit (LEO) and to the Moon. 

The Saturn V has since retired, but a new rocket has ambitions to travel beyond our planet. SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy supersedes NASA’s historic vehicle. It can send humans to space at a fraction of the cost. 

Continue reading to learn more about the Falcon Heavy, including specs, history, and more.

A Brief History of SpaceX

No organization is making more remarkable advances in modern spaceflight technology than SpaceX. The rocketship company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk aims to make space travel more affordable, creating opportunities for deep space exploration, new cosmic discoveries, and, ultimately, the colonization of Mars. 

Elon Musk
Elon Musk is an innovator who co-founded PayPal, Tesla, and The Boring Company. He is also a co-founder of Neuralink, and SpaceX.

SpaceX is leading the industry in reusable parts and state-of-the-art propulsion. The company plans to achieve its goals with highly developed vehicles and parts. However, Space X hasn’t relied on government funding to pursue its scientific ambitions as it’s a privately-owned company.

A self-made entrepreneur, Elon Musk built two highly successful software companies before breaking into rocketry. When the time came to switch gears, Musk sold his company and invested nearly $100 million in his first spaceflight vehicle, the Falcon 1. Although on paper it was nothing special, as far as rocketships go), Musk brought his rocket to the Department of Defense and contracted his first payload missions.

Space X’s first few flight attempts failed. On its fourth flight attempt, the Falcon 1 reached orbit, and its next flights brought satellites to space. With great success and an influx of funding, SpaceX designed its next (and most successful) rocket, the Falcon 9.

The company’s second vehicle would drastically change the industry. The Falcon 9 would feature reusable second stages and spacecraft, making history in spaceflight. With its technology, SpaceX would go on to become:

  • The first private company to launch, orbit, and recover a spacecraft.
  • The first private company to send and dock a spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).
  • The first to land an orbital-class rocket’s first stage on an ocean platform.

SpaceX was perfecting its equipment and positioning itself for its next endeavor: sending humans to space. To accomplish this, the company would need a larger rocket.

Enter Falcon Heavy.

What Is the Falcon Heavy Rocket?

Using many of the same components as its smaller sister rocket, the Falcon Heavy is bigger and more powerful. In fact, the spaceflight vehicle is so huge that its payload capacity is the third highest in human history (trailing only the Saturn V and Energia). 

The rocket’s primary goal was to transport humans and payloads beyond Earth’s lower orbit. However, it would take SpaceX’s largest design nearly 5 years to make its first test launch.

History

At the time of Falcon Heavy’s design, SpaceX was enjoying massive success in the spaceflight market. The company earned nearly half of its contracts worldwide in 2013, making it the industry leader. The company’s valuation stood at over $12 billion in just over 10 years. The heavy rocket was privately funded to the tune of $500 million.

However, the rocket design was so complex that estimated launch dates were continually postponed. The Falcon Heavy’s first launch date was scheduled for 2013, but complications and changes in launch location resulted in seven reschedules. Finally, in February 2018, the rocket fired into space for its first test flight. 

While the center booster crashed after an engine malfunction during its return trip, the side boosters landed safely – mission success. Following this launch, the heavy rocket is scheduled for commercial and government missions.

Falcon Heavy Rocket successfully launching into space.
Space X Falcon Heavy Rocket was used to deploy the Arabsat-6A satellite into orbit in April 2019.

Design

At face value, Falcon Heavy’s design seems fairly simple. The rocket uses many of the same components as the Falcon 9 and has two side boosters taken straight from its first stage. However, because it had to carry humans into space safely, the rocketship company had to consider additional measures.

The Falcon Heavy needed to meet NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) human-rating standards to carry passengers. This required the vehicle to have a probability of a loss on ascent or descent not to exceed 1 in 500. 

The rocket had to undergo intense theoretical testing to determine whether it could survive inclement conditions to and from space. As a result, it is built like a tank, achieving a structural safety margin of 40% above flight loads (well, about the 25% average). It also tripled its redundant avionics.

In addition to its incredible safety features, the Falcon Heavy has one of the highest thrust capacities on a rocket worldwide. Equipped with 27 Merlin 1D engines, the vehicle’s boosters have a liftoff thrust of 22.82 MN (Meganewtons) at sea level. But what makes these boosters unique is their reusability.

Reusable Spaceflight Parts

Since the 1970s, government space agencies have attempted to reuse spaceflight parts, but with marginal success, until SpaceX started testing in 2011. Since their first successes with reusable boosters, the technology has become synonymous with their name.

SpaceX designed the Falcon Heavy with three boosters. Each is not only reusable but also capable of automatically returning to Earth. The spaceflight company equipped its boosters with four landing legs and four retractable grid fins, allowing them to cruise safely to the ground. This massively reduces the cost of recovering and refurbishing the pieces after their descent. 

Missions

Musk discuss aliens
Elon Musk’s personal Tesla was launched into space by SpaceX Falcon Heavy in 2018. “Spaceman” is still orbiting the sun behind Mars.

On February 6, 2018, SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The flight’s goal was to test the space vehicle’s ability to safely exit Earth’s lower orbit and its reusable, self-landing boosters. However, the test gained notoriety when Musk launched his personal Tesla Roadster as its payload, manned by a dummy in a spacesuit named “Spaceman.” The launch was successful, and the vehicle now orbits the sun slightly beyond Mars

The maiden test laid to rest all doubt about the rocket’s capability. NASA also announced its Artemis Program, with intentions to return humans to the moon, shortly after Falcon Heavy’s test success of the Falcon Heavy’s maiden flight. New missions are scheduled with both commercial and government customers. Most notably, a Falcon Heavy is set to carry the first elements of the Gateway mini-station in late 2024.

Interestingly, SpaceX no longer intends to launch humans into space with the Falcon Heavy. Instead, the spaceflight company has switched its passenger focus onto its next big project (emphasis on big), a vehicle named Starship. However, the company will continue to launch heavy payloads with Falcon Heavy. With its reusability and incredible escape velocity, Falcon Heavy’s mission costs are estimated at less than $100 million. 

Falcon Heavy Specs

Height70m/ 230ft
Total weight1,420t/ 3,130,000lb
Diameter12.2m/ 40ft
Payload (LEO)63.8t/ 141,000lb
Stages2 (plus 2 side boosters)
EnginesMerlin 1D, Merlin 1D Vacuum
Engine Count28
Thrust500klbf/ 2.2MN
ReusabilityReusable boosters, the reusable second stage
CostAbout $500 million in development, about 100 million per launch
Launch DateFebruary 6, 2018

What’s Next For the Falcon Heavy Rocket?

The Falcon Heavy is the world’s most powerful heavy rocket. With a payload capacity more than twice its closest competition (Delta IV Heavy), you can expect to see this rocket used for only the largest missions.

Looking Forward to SpaceX Starship

Starship-Rocket

SpaceX’s first combined Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster are scheduled to launch from the Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas on Monday at 9:20 a.m. EDT (1320 GMT) at the earliest.

SpaceX is performing a countdown rehearsal and “recycling” the rocket by removing the super-chilled fuel in preparation for the next launch attempt. It is uncertain when the next attempt will take place, but the company has a launch window reserved for Tuesday, April 18th, 2023 at 7 a.m. CT (8 a.m. ET), although the recycling process will necessitate a delay of at least 48 hours.

While, SpaceX is preparing for the inaugural launch of its massive Starship vehicle, the largest rocket in the world, on April 17th. However, the precise launch time is reliant on several variables.

The launch of the first combined Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster is planned for no earlier than Monday at 9:20 a.m. EDT (1320 GMT) from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The launch time will be 8:20 a.m. local time.

However, it is uncertain whether SpaceX will launch at that specific time or decide to wait until later in the window. The expected launch time of the mission is still up in the air especially since the launch has been delayed.

Up Next…

Frequently Asked Questions

Does SpaceX still use Falcon Heavy?

SpaceX uses its Falcon Heavy rocket to launch heavy payloads beyond Earth’s lower orbit. The rocket is scheduled to launch again in September 2022.

Is Falcon Heavy Super Heavy?

The Falcon Heavy is a two-stage heavy rocket designed with similar features as the Falcon 9. The Super Heavy is the first-stage booster for the Starship spacecraft.

Is Falcon Heavy more powerful than Saturn V?

The Falcon Heavy is the third-most powerful rocket in history, behind the Saturn V and Energia.

How many times has Falcon Heavy flown?

The Falcon Heavy has flown 3 times. The rocket has 7 total landings and 4 total reflights.

How much fuel does Falcon Heavy use?

The Falcon Heavy uses three comparable boosters to the Falcon 9. This suggests that the Falcon Heavy uses up to 862,200kg (1,900,800lbs) of subcooled liquid oxygen (LOX).

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