In about 24 hours, SpaceX will launch what will be the most powerful American rocket since the retirement of Saturn V. 27 engines, 5 million pounds of thrust, and a Tesla roadster blasting David Bowie's Space Oddity as payload.
Here's a Verge article, but I'll tl;dr it and cover anything they didn't.
FAQ
why is there a car on the rocket
elon musk is autistic
isn't this just three falcon 9s glued together
yes
is this the most engines ever on a rocket
no, but the only rocket with more exploded
space is dumb
your feedback has been recorded
Falcon Heavy will have the same payload as an Atlas V in a fully reusable configuration (all cores return), 20% more payload than a Delta V Heavy in a fully expendable configuration (nothing returns), and an unknown middle-ground payload in a semi-expended configuration (one core spent, two return). It uses the same fly-back mission architecture as Falcon 9, and will be made from "block v" Falcons designed for 10 flights between refits and 100 flights on each airframe. And rockets flying backwards looks fucking cool.
Most of the interest in Falcon Heavy right now comes from using it instead of Delta or SLS for deep space probes to distant moons like Europa, and it will return the ability for America to fly men to the moon (one such flyby is planned for late 2018 / 2019 by two Russian tourists). It will also be able to launch heavy payloads to high orbits, and is being entered in the EELV competition for US National Recon Office spy satellite launches.
Falcon Heavy is the steppingstone in SpaceX's business plan to the Big Fucking Rocket, which is their next project. The BFR will enable manned missions to Mars with dozens of passengers, including colonial missions.
Here's a Verge article, but I'll tl;dr it and cover anything they didn't.
FAQ
why is there a car on the rocket
elon musk is autistic
isn't this just three falcon 9s glued together
yes
is this the most engines ever on a rocket
no, but the only rocket with more exploded
space is dumb
your feedback has been recorded
Falcon Heavy will have the same payload as an Atlas V in a fully reusable configuration (all cores return), 20% more payload than a Delta V Heavy in a fully expendable configuration (nothing returns), and an unknown middle-ground payload in a semi-expended configuration (one core spent, two return). It uses the same fly-back mission architecture as Falcon 9, and will be made from "block v" Falcons designed for 10 flights between refits and 100 flights on each airframe. And rockets flying backwards looks fucking cool.
Most of the interest in Falcon Heavy right now comes from using it instead of Delta or SLS for deep space probes to distant moons like Europa, and it will return the ability for America to fly men to the moon (one such flyby is planned for late 2018 / 2019 by two Russian tourists). It will also be able to launch heavy payloads to high orbits, and is being entered in the EELV competition for US National Recon Office spy satellite launches.
Falcon Heavy is the steppingstone in SpaceX's business plan to the Big Fucking Rocket, which is their next project. The BFR will enable manned missions to Mars with dozens of passengers, including colonial missions.
