- USA’s private space organisation, SpaceX on 06 February 2018 (USA time), launched ‘the world’s most powerful rocket’, ‘Falcon Heavy’ from Kennedy Space Centre near Cape Canaveral, Florida (USA). The rocket was fired for Mars. Although its launch was not as impressive as thought, since one of the three cores didn’t fire. missed the target.
- It was launched from the same launchpad, from where Apollo 11 moon rocket was launched.
- It is an unmanned mission.
- The rocket used 27 Merlin engines and three separate re-usable cores (out of three one didn’t succeeded) that returned to Earth after liftoff.
- This rocket generated 22,819 kilonewtons (5.13 million pounds) of thrust through 27 Merlin engines.
- Its payload to Mars is of 16,800kg.
- This megarocket also lifted Tesla Roadster, an electric car and its passenger, a mannequin which was named ‘Star Man’ Tesla chief Musk.
About SpaceX
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- SpaceX is a private space company founded by Elon Musk in 2002.
- Its headquarters is in Hawthorne, California (USA).
- Its aims are, to reduce space transportation costs and the colonisation of Mars.
- Elon Musk, originally belongs to South Africa, is also the CEO of Tesla, an electric car manufacturing company.
