The SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Deploys 24 Satellites In Low Earth Orbit

By: David M. Edwards B.S., M.B.A.

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A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at 2:30 a.m. EDT on June 25, 2019, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

Image Source: https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2019/06/25/spacex-falcon-heavy-successfully-launches-stp-2/

Elon Musks’ SpaceX‘s Falcon Heavy rocket is the largeset rocket to successfully launch since the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations’ (N.A.S.A.) Saturn V rocket was utilizied to Implant the first human footprints on the surface of Earths’ only moon on July 20, 1969. The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is championed by SpaceX as the “The World’s Most Powerful Rocket,” according to SpaceX-a (2019). The Falcon Heavy rocket can lift up to 63,800 kilograms (kg), or 140,660 pounds (lb), of weight into Low Earth Orbit (L.E.O.) with its more than 5,000,000 (5 million) pounds (lb) of thrust at liftoff, according to SpaceX-a (2019). The liftoff thrust of the Falcon Heavy rocket is greater than that of eighteen (18) four engined Boeing 747‘s combined, according to SpaceX-a (2019). The payload capability and capacity of the Falcon Heavy rocket is greater than 2.65 times that of N.A.S.A.s’ retired Space Shuttle. The Falcon Heavy rocket is the first and only commercially available rocket of its kind. Moreover, the Falcon Heavy can launch 26,700 kg (58,860 lb) and 16,800 kg (37,040 lb) into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (G.T.O.) and Payload To Mars (P.T.O.), respectively, according to SpaceX-b (2019). The list price of a Falcon Heavy launch is $90,000,000 ($90 Million) United States Dollars (U.S.D.) under SpaceX‘s standard payment plan, according SpaceX-b (2019). I would assume there would be discounts for advanced payments, “Paid-In-Full” lump sum payments, repeat customer loyalty discounts and associated programs, multiple-launch package prices, custom contract(s), and a frequent launcher and frequent passenger programs and memberships. Jeff Bezos‘ Blue Origin space company is developing their class competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket called the “New Glenn,” which is utilizing new reusable rocket technology and is scheduled to enter L.E.O. in 2021, according to BlueOrigin (2019).

SpaceX‘s flagship Falcon Heavy rocket is the pinnacle of modern space launch technology, providing maximal value in terms of playload deployment into space.

The United States Air Force (U.S.A.F.) Space and Missiles Center (S.M.C.) managed the mission, entitled Space Test Program-2 (STP–2), under the direction of the United States (U.S.) Department Of Defense (D.O.D.). The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket assigned to STP–2 was launched from launch pad 39A (LC-39A) from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida (U.S.A.) on June 25, 2019 at 2:30 am Eastern Daylight Time (E.D.T.).

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, carrying the U.S. Air Force’s Space Test Program 2 Mission, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in this time exposure from Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., June 25, 2019.Steve Nesius / Reuters

Photograph Source: Associated Press (2019).

The two side recyclable boosters from the Falcon Heavy rocket were recovered in Cape Canaveral, Florida United States of America (U.S.A.), according to the Associated Press (2019). However, the main recyclable booster missed its main ocean platform, not unexpectedly due to the complexity of the mission SpaceX noted, according to Associated Press (2019).

The array of twenty-four (24) military and science research satellites needed to be placed in three different orbits by the STP–2 mission “requiring multiple upper-stage engine firings”, three different rocket burns, making this the most challenging mission to date for SpaceX, according to the SpaceX and the Associated Press (2019).

There were 4,987 satellite orbiting earth on January 1, 2019, according to United Nations Office For Outer Space Affairs (U.N.O.O.S.A.) (2019). The U.N.O.O.S.A. maintains a registry of satellites, probes, landers, crewed spacecraft and space station flight elements (United Nations Office For Outer Space Affairs, 2019).

Image courtesy of ESA

Note: The debris field shown in the image is an artist’s impression based on actual data. However, the debris objects are shown at an exaggerated size to make them visible at the scale shown.

Image Source: https://www.pixalytics.com/satellites-orbiting-earth-2019/

“To date over 88% of all satellites, probes, landers, crewed spacecraft and space station flight elements launched into Earth orbit or beyond have been registered with the Secretary-General,” United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (2019).

References:

Associated Press. (2019, June 25). SpaceX Launches Falcon Heavy Rocket With 24 Satellites, But

Core Booster Misses Ocean Platform. http://www.Nbcnews.com

Retrieved August 3, 2019.

Retrieved from:

https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/spacex-launches-falcon-heavy-rocket-24- satellites-core-booster-misses-ncna1021306

BlueOrigin. (2019). New Glenn. http://www.Blueorigin.com

Accessed on July 26, 2019.

Retrieved from:

https://www.blueorigin.com/new-glenn/

SpaceX-a. (2019). Falcon Heavy. http://www.SpaceX.com

Accessed on July 26, 2019.

Retrieved from:

https://www.spacex.com/falcon-heavy

SpaceX-b. (2019). CAPABILITIES AND SERVICES. http://www.SpaceX.com

Accessed on July 26, 2019.

Retrieved from:

https://www.spacex.com/about/capabilities

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. (2019). United Nations Register Of Objects Launched

Into Outer Space. http://www.Unoosa.org

Accessed on August 3, 2019.

Retrieved from:

http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/spaceobjectregister/index.html