THE WORLD'S
MOST POWERFUL ROCKET
FALCON HEAVY
FALCON HEAVY is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. FALCON HEAVY is the first orbital class rocket capable of reflight. SpaceX believes rocket reusability is the key breakthrough needed to reduce the cost of access to space and enable people to live on other planets.
FALCON HEAVY was designed from the ground up for maximum reliability. FALCON HEAVY’s simple two-stage configuration minimizes the number of separation events -- and with nine first-stage engines, it can safely complete its mission even in the event of an engine shutdown.
FALCON HEAVY was designed from the ground up for maximum reliability. FALCON HEAVY’s simple two-stage configuration minimizes the number of separation events -- and with nine first-stage engines, it can safely complete its mission even in the event of an engine shutdown.
FALCON HEAVY made history in 2012 when it delivered Dragon into the correct orbit for rendezvous with the International Space Station, making SpaceX the first commercial company ever to visit the station. Since then FALCON HEAVY has made numerous trips to space, delivering satellites to orbit as well as delivering and returning cargo from the space station for NASA. FALCON HEAVY, along with the Dragon spacecraft, was designed from the outset to deliver humans into space and under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is actively working toward this goal.
- FALCON HEAVY
- Launch Manifest
- Launch Manifest
PAYLOAD
FALCON HEAVY delivers payloads to space aboard the Dragon spacecraft or inside a composite fairing.
DRAGON SPACECRAFT
Dragon carries cargo in the spacecraft’s pressurized capsule and unpressurized trunk, which can also accommodate secondary payloads. In the future, Dragon will carry astronauts in the pressurized capsule as well. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRAGON COMPOSITE FAIRING
The payload fairing is for the delivery of satellites to destinations in low Earth orbit (LEO), geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and beyond. SEE COMPOSITE FAIRING ON FALCON HEAVY
Dragon carries cargo in the spacecraft’s pressurized capsule and unpressurized trunk, which can also accommodate secondary payloads. In the future, Dragon will carry astronauts in the pressurized capsule as well. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRAGON COMPOSITE FAIRING
The payload fairing is for the delivery of satellites to destinations in low Earth orbit (LEO), geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and beyond. SEE COMPOSITE FAIRING ON FALCON HEAVY
INTERSTAGE
The interstage is a composite structure that connects the first and second stages and holds the release and separation system. FALCON HEAVY uses an all-pneumatic stage separation system for low-shock, highly reliable separation that can be tested on the ground, unlike pyrotechnic systems used on most launch vehicles.
FIRST STAGE
FALCON HEAVY’s first stage incorporates nine Merlin engines and aluminum-lithium alloy tanks containing liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) propellant. After ignition, a hold-before-release system ensures that all engines are verified for full-thrust performance before the rocket is released for flight. Then, with thrust greater than five 747s at full power, the Merlin engines launch the rocket to space. Unlike airplanes, a rocket's thrust actually increases with altitude; FALCON HEAVY generates more than 1.7 million pounds of thrust at sea level but gets up to over 1.8 million pounds of thrust in the vacuum of space. The first stage engines are gradually throttled near the end of first-stage flight to limit launch vehicle acceleration as the rocket’s mass decreases with the burning of fuel.
The interstage is a composite structure that connects the first and second stages and holds the release and separation system. FALCON HEAVY uses an all-pneumatic stage separation system for low-shock, highly reliable separation that can be tested on the ground, unlike pyrotechnic systems used on most launch vehicles.
ENGINE
1
BURN TIME
397sec
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
ENGINE
1
BURN TIME
397sec
THRUST
934kN210,000 lbf
THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL ROCKET
WITH MORE THAN 5 MILLION POUNDS OF THRUST AT LIFTOFF, Falcon Heavy is the most capable rocket flying. By comparison, the liftoff thrust of the Falcon Heavy equals approximately eighteen 747 aircraft at full power. Below is a comparison chart of the world’s heavy lift vehicles, based on historical launch data. Falcon Heavy can lift the equivalent of a fully loaded 737 jetliner--complete with passengers, luggage and fuel--to orbit. Only the Saturn V moon rocket, last flown in 1973, delivered more payload to orbit than Falcon Heavy.
SPACEX DESIGNS, MANUFACTURES AND LAUNCHES ADVANCED ROCKETS AND SPACECRAFT
Card title
Some quick example text to build on the card title and make up the bulk of the card's content.
Go somewhere
Card title
Some quick example text to build on the card title and make up the bulk of the card's content.
Go somewhere Card title
Some quick example text to build on the card title and make up the bulk of the card's content.
Go somewhere