2023 Author: Bryan Walter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 22:24
Computer render of Falcon Heavy in flight
Aerospace company SpaceX has scheduled a test launch of its Falcon Heavy launch vehicle for the summer of 2017. Elon Musk tweeted about this, also noting that he was considering returning the second stage during a test flight.
The projected launch vehicle of the heavy class Falcon Heavy is being developed on the basis of the Falcon 9. The rocket will be able to launch into low-earth orbit up to 54.4 tons of cargo, and to Mars it will deliver up to 13.6 tons. The heavy rocket will use the first three stages of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust as boosters. During the first stage of the flight, side boosters will operate to save fuel in the first stage tanks. After disconnecting the lateral boosters, the first stage engines will start operating at full power. It is assumed that all three segments will be reusable and will be able to land similarly to the first stage of the Falcon 9.
Initially, the first launch of Falcon Heavy was scheduled for 2013, but then the dates were repeatedly shifted, including due to the crash of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle in June 2015. According to Elon Musk, today a test launch of the rocket is scheduled for the second half of the summer of 2017.
If the test launch goes according to plan, SpaceX will begin commercial flights with Falcon Heavy. It is already known that one of the first launches of a carrier rocket with a payload will be the launch of the Arab communications satellite Arabsat 6A into orbit, tentatively scheduled for 2018.
The SpaceX founder also noted that he is considering the possible return of the second stage of the rocket during a test launch as additional tasks, but noted that the chances of a successful landing of the second stage are small.
In March 2017, SpaceX first launched the previously used first stage of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and then landed it again. Later it became known that the company also managed to land the head fairing. Thus, the second stage will remain a disposable element of the Falcon 9 rocket today, but at the moment it is not known how beneficial the landing of the second stage is for further use.
