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Context:
On February 7, U.S. tech and automobiles billionaire Elon Musk made history when the Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful rocket, was successfully launched by SpaceX
About Falcon Heavy:
- The Falcon Heavy is a large cargo-lifting rocket developed by private spaceflight company SpaceX
- The rocket lifted from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Florida, using Launch Complex 39A
- The rocket’s payload was a cherry-red 2008 Tesla Roadster electric car
- The Roadster became the first automobile in deep space.
- The rocket is 230 ft tall with 2,500 tonnes of thrust
- The cost per launch is $90 million
Significance:
The launch of Falcon Heavy opens a new frontier in space exploration, particularly interplanetary missions and manned missions to the moon in the next few years and possibly to Mars in the next couple of decades.
Way ahead:
- As of now, Falcon Heavy might not be a direct competitor to established space agencies for launching communication and other satellites as the focus is on the manned interplanetary mission.
- There is a great business opportunity in launching data-gathering satellites at a lower cost while profiting from manned missions is uncertain.
