Here in Central Florida, we’ve grown used to nearly weekly SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from the Cape, but the Falcon Heavy is a different story and serves a different purpose. With five million pounds of thrust, experts say the Heavy is the largest and most powerful rocket available, aside from NASA’s large SLS moon rocket that just had its first test mission. “It has the ability to put satellites into orbit that virtually no other rocket can get close to,” Platt said. The Heavy is three Falcon 9 boosters lined up next to each other and connected. And that makes it a much more complex rocket to launch and control. “There are many more engines. There is much more plumbing. But there is also more software, there are different control algorithms that are used to make sure that the rocket stays on the right track. So, in some respects, it’s probably more than three times as difficult,” Play said. And one of those tricky looks is also one of the most spectacular to watch as the two side boosters land vertically at Landing Zones 1 and 2 just seconds apart. the reason why the Falcon Heavy is in a class of its own. Like the last mission in November, it will carry payloads for the US Space Force into deep GEO orbit. This will be the fifth Falcon Heavy launch and there are four more planned for this year which will make this launch even more spectacular as it will take place just a few minutes after sunset we will see what is called a jellyfish. Once at high altitude, the rocket’s gas plume will be illuminated by sunlight while it is darker on the ground. The release window opens at 5 pm on Saturday.
Here in Central Florida, we’ve grown used to nearly weekly SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from the Cape, but the Falcon Heavy is a different story and serves a different purpose.
With five million pounds of thrust, experts say the Heavy is the largest and most powerful rocket available, aside from NASA’s large SLS moon rocket that just had its first test mission.
“It has the ability to put satellites into orbit that virtually no other rocket can get close to,” Platt said.
Essentially, the Heavy is three Falcon 9 boosters lined up next to each other and connected. And that makes it a much more complex rocket to launch and control.
“There are many more engines. There is much more plumbing. But there is also more software, there are different control algorithms that are used to make sure that the rocket stays on the right track. So, in some respects, it’s probably more than three times as difficult,” Play said.
And one of those tricky looks is also one of the most spectacular to watch when the two side boosters land vertically on landing zones one and two within seconds of each other.
The center thruster will use all of its fuel to carry the payload further and that’s part of the reason the Falcon Heavy is in a class of its own. Like the last mission in November, it will carry payloads for the US Space Force into deep GEO orbit. This will be Falcon Heavy’s fifth release and there are four more planned for this year.
Which is going to make this launch even more spectacular, since it will take place just a few minutes after sunset, we will see what is called a jellyfish effect.
Once at high altitude, the rocket’s gas plume will be illuminated by sunlight while it is darker on the ground.
The release window opens at 5 pm on Saturday.
