Falcon Heavy

Falcon Heavy

Falcon Heavy test flight launch
Function	Partially reusable heavy-lift – super heavy‑lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer	SpaceX
Country of origin	United States
Cost per launch	Reusable: US$97 million (2022)[1] Expendable: US$150 million (2017)[2]
Size
Height	70 m (230 ft)[3]
Diameter	3.66 m (12.0 ft) (each booster)
Width	12.2 m (40 ft)
Mass	1,420 t (3,130,000 lb)
Stages	2.5
Capacity
Payload to low Earth orbit
Orbital inclination	28.5°
Mass	63.8 t (141,000 lb) (theoretical)[3]
Payload to geosynchronous transfer orbit
Orbital inclination	27.0°
Mass	26.7 t (59,000 lb)[3]
Payload to Mars transfer orbit
Mass	16.8 t (37,000 lb)[3]
Payload to Pluto
Mass	3.5 t (7,700 lb)[3]
Associated rockets
Based on	Falcon 9
Comparable	Delta IV Heavy New Glenn Saturn C-3 Space Launch System Vulcan Centaur
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A Vandenberg, SLC-6 (future)
Total launches	9
Success(es)	9
Landings	1 center core landed (lost at sea) / 3 attempted 14 side boosters landed / 14 attempted
First flight	6 February 2018[4]
Last flight	29 December 2023
Boosters
No. boosters	2
Powered by	18 total, 9 Merlin 1D per booster[3]
Maximum thrust	Sea level: 7.6 MN; 1,700,000 lbf (770 tf) (each) Vacuum: 8.2 MN; 1,900,000 lbf (840 tf) (each)
Total thrust	Sea level: 15.2 MN; 3,400,000 lbf (1,550 tf) Vacuum: 16.4 MN; 3,700,000 lbf (1,670 tf)
Specific impulse	Sea level: 282 s (2.77 km/s)[5] Vacuum: 311 s (3.05 km/s)[6]
Burn time	154.3 seconds
Propellant	Subcooled LOX / Chilled RP-1[7]
First stage
Powered by	9 Merlin 1D[3]
Maximum thrust	Sea level: 7.6 MN; 1,700,000 lbf (770 tf) Vacuum: 8.2 MN; 1,900,000 lbf (840 tf)
Specific impulse	Sea level: 282 s (2.77 km/s) Vacuum: 311 s (3.05 km/s)
Burn time	187 seconds
Propellant	Subcooled LOX / Chilled RP-1
Second stage
Powered by	1 Merlin 1D Vacuum[3]
Maximum thrust	934 kN; 210,000 lbf (95.2 tf)
Specific impulse	348 s (3.41 km/s)
Burn time	397 seconds
Propellant	LOX / RP-1
[edit on Wikidata]

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.^[8] 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.^[4] 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.^[9] The second Falcon Heavy launch occurred on 11 April 2019, and all three booster rockets successfully returned to Earth.^[10] 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.^[11]

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.^[12] Both Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 are expected to eventually be superseded by the Starship launch system, currently being developed.^[13]

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