By Bill D’Zio

Night Launch of Falcon Heavy 

SpaceX was targeting Tuesday, June 25 at 2:30 a.m. EDT for a Falcon Heavy launch of the STP-2 mission from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX had an ample launch window that would close at 3:30 a.m. EDT(7:30 UTC). SpaceX did need the backup launch scheduled for 11:30 p.m. EDT on June 26 as the launch went off as planned.

The mission was carrying nearly two dozen satellites to space for the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program-2.  Deployments began approximately 12 minutes after liftoff. Since the mission had many satellites that were being launched with varied orbits, this was a high complexity mission.

Image of Falcon Side Booster on return landing approach prior to final engine burn.

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket liftoff took place roughly at 2:30 AM EDT(6:30 UTC), from Cape Canaveral, Florida.  The mission was carrying nearly two dozen satellites to space for the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program-2.  Deployments began approximately 12 minutes after liftoff. Since the mission had many satellites that were being launched with varied orbits, this was a high complexity mission.

According to SpaceX, the Falcon Heavy’s side boosters for the STP-2 mission previously supported the Arabsat-6A mission in April 2019.  These boosters were successfully previously launched and recovered.  Following booster separation, Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters successfully landed at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2 (LZ-1 and LZ-2) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The cheers of onlookers were meet with quite a spectacle as the two boosters illuminated the landing site as they slowed down, and then quickly disappeared as the engines cut out.

The core of the Falcon Heavy for this mission was a new booster.  Both prior attempts to recover the center booster were unsuccessful. On the last Falcon Heavy mission, the center booster, made it back to the landing droneship, but failed to recover it after it became unstable.

This time, Falcon Heavy’s center core came streaking across the night sky in an attempt to land on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. 

The center core illuminated the droneship, but unfortunately did not make a successful landing and ended with a burst of flames. 

The mission was carrying nearly two dozen satellites to space for the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program-2.  Deployments began approximately 12 minutes after liftoff. Since the mission had many satellites that were being launched with varied orbits, this was a high complexity mission.   

Fate of the core booster in flames in the Atlantic.

Although mixed success, there are some notable items:

This is the first time SpaceX has launched the Falcon Heavy with flight-prove boosters, and successfully landed the two boosters.

This is the first night launch of a Falcon Heavy.

Cremated remains of 152 people are onboard the spacecraft.

Planetary Society’s Lightsail-2 CubeSat which is an innovative propulsion alternative. The Lightsail-2 uses mylar sails to harness the pressure light exerts when striking the sails. Photons from the sun have minute amounts of mass and when striking an object impart part of the momentum.  

Speculation on the future of SpaceX

According to their website, SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.  This is an understatement, SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft AND LANDS, AND REUSES THEM.

Success or Failure?