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); Expendable: US$150 million (2017);
Size
Height	70 m (230 ft)
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)
Payload to geosynchronous transfer orbit
Orbital inclination	27.0°
Mass	26.7 t (59,000 lb)
Payload to Mars transfer orbit
Mass	16.8 t (37,000 lb)
Payload to Pluto
Mass	3.5 t (7,700 lb)
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
Last flight	29 December 2023
Boosters
No. boosters	2
Powered by	18 total, 9 Merlin 1D per booster
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); Vacuum: 311 s (3.05 km/s);
Burn time	154.3 seconds
Propellant	Subcooled LOX / Chilled RP-1
First stage
Powered by	9 Merlin 1D
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
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

Falcon Heavy is a partially reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle 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 (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. 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.

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.

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