Three rocket cores for demanding payloads and trajectories.
Falcon Heavy combines three first-stage cores derived from Falcon 9 with an upper stage. It shares extensive technology with that family while forming a distinct heavy launcher.
Its first flight in February 2018 carries a demonstration payload. The simultaneous return of its two side boosters becomes an iconic image of the mission.
The rocket subsequently serves satellites and scientific missions needing substantial launch energy. Europa Clipper launches in 2024 to examine the potential habitability of Jupiter's moon Europa.
Selected representative missions; crew names belong to the flight shown.
The inaugural demonstration carries no crew; both side boosters return to land.
Europa Clipper begins its journey toward Jupiter as a robotic mission, with no astronauts aboard.
Dates follow the days reported by the source agencies, generally in local time; the UTC day can differ. Crews belong to the selected missions, not every flight in the family.
Falcon Heavy shows how common components can be assembled to extend a launch system's capabilities.
First flight or first test of the family, including unsuccessful or suborbital attempts.
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