Key takeaways:
- SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket successfully launched a U.S. Space Force mission on Sunday.
- The mission was carrying a military communications satellite and five classified technology demonstration packages.
- SpaceX has launched three missions this year, and is set to launch another mission later this month.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, the towering launch vehicle known for its boosters’ aerial acrobatics and synchronized landings when returning to Earth, successfully launched a U.S. Space Force mission on Sunday.
The mission, called USSF-67, took off at 5:56 p.m. ET from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the fifth successful flight of the rocket recently dethroned as the world’s most powerful operational launch vehicle.
The Falcon Heavy was carrying a military communications satellite into space along with a maneuverable payload carrier hosting five classified technology demonstration packages. Generating more than 5 million pounds of thrust from 27 Merlin engines powering the rocket’s central core and twin strap-on boosters, the Falcon Heavy blasted off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
The Falcon Heavy debuted to much fanfare in 2018 when it launched a Tesla Roadster and a dummy astronaut named Starman into space. This mission was initially advertised to launch on Saturday, and the reason for the one-day delay was not immediately clear.
SpaceX has now launched three missions this year, and is set to launch another mission later this month. The company is continuing to make strides in the space industry, and is expected to make more launches in the near future.
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