The historic rocket launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida was successful. The new SpaceX rocket called ‘Falcon Heavy’ was launched from the same site as in 1969 when NASA launched Apollo 11 to the moon.
Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket in use today, and it is something entirely new under the sun, being developed and owned by a private company rather than any nation-state. SpaceX is the first commercial company to send rockets into orbit and to the international space station.
SpaceX was also the first to send a spacecraft into orbit and land it again on Earth with its Falcon 9. Falcon Heavy is considerably larger and more capable than the Falcon 9, it is in fact twice as powerful as the second most powerful rocket available today.
The success of the rocket launch could increase the attractiveness of reusable rockets. And on the topic of appeal, Elon Musk used the opportunity to advertise for Tesla, having one of the company’s latest models, the roadster, on board the rocket and now on route to Mars. Since a heavy weight is usually used to simulate cargo on the rocket anyway, SpaceX reasons, why not put a roadster in it instead.
The car, driven by “Starman” in a space suit and with Dawid Bowie’s album Space Oddity in the car stereo was launched in the direction of Mars. A journey through space broadcasted live on youtube.
For Elon Musk and SpaceX, the launch of the giant rocket Falcon Heavy is a step in the direction of future expeditions to Mars. But before that, the rocket will be used to send people to the ISS, and then tourists around the Moon already within a year.