Falcon Heavy test flight

In April 2011, SpaceX was planning for a first launch of Falcon Heavy from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the West Coast in 2013.{{Cite press release |title=F9/Dragon: Preparing for ISS |url=http://www.spacex.com/news/2013/02/09/f9dragon-preparing-iss |publisher=SpaceX |date=August 15, 2011 |access-date=November 14, 2016 |archive-date=November 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115070932/http://www.spacex.com/news/2013/02/09/f9dragon-preparing-iss |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/space-business-rocket-idUSN0513302920110405 |title=US co. SpaceX to build heavy-lift, low-cost rocket |access-date=April 5, 2011 |date=April 5, 2011 |publisher=Reuters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408045714/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/05/space-business-rocket-idUSN0513302920110405 |archive-date=April 8, 2011 |url-status=live}} It refurbished Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg AFB to accommodate Falcon 9 and Heavy. The first launch from the Cape Canaveral East Coast launch complex was planned for late 2013 or 2014.{{Cite press release |title=SpaceX announces launch date for the world's most powerful rocket |url=http://www.spacex.com/press/2012/12/19/spacex-announces-launch-date-worlds-most-powerful-rocket |publisher=SpaceX |date=April 5, 2011 |access-date=July 28, 2017 |archive-date=July 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728161642/http://www.spacex.com/press/2012/12/19/spacex-announces-launch-date-worlds-most-powerful-rocket |url-status=dead }}

Due partly to the failure of SpaceX CRS-7 in June 2015, SpaceX rescheduled the maiden Falcon Heavy flight in September 2015 to occur no earlier than April 2016,{{cite news |last1=Foust |first1=Jeff |title=First Falcon Heavy Launch Scheduled for Spring |url=https://spacenews.com/first-falcon-heavy-launch-scheduled-for-spring/ |access-date=September 3, 2015 |publisher=Space News |date=September 2, 2015}} but by February 2016 had postponed it again to late 2016. The flight was to be launched from the refurbished Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.{{cite web |title=Launch Schedule |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ |publisher=Spaceflight Now |access-date=January 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101234452/http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ |archive-date=January 1, 2016 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-seeks-to-accelerate-falcon-9-production-and-launch-rates-this-year/ |title=SpaceX seeks to accelerate Falcon 9 production and launch rates this year |publisher=SpaceNews |date=February 4, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2016}}

In August 2016, the demonstration flight was moved to early 2017,{{cite news |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/08/pad-changes-new-era-space-coast/ |title=Pad hardware changes preview new era for Space Coast |publisher=NASASpaceFlight |first=Chris |last=Bergin |date=August 9, 2016 |access-date=August 16, 2016}} then to summer 2017,{{cite news |title=SpaceX is pushing back the target launch date for its first Mars mission |date=February 17, 2017 |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/17/14652026/spacex-red-dragon-spacecraft-mars-mission-2020 |publisher=The Verge |access-date=February 19, 2017 |first=Loren |last=Grush}} to late 2017{{cite web |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ |title=Launch schedule |work=SpaceFlight Now |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=October 14, 2017 |access-date=October 15, 2017}} and to January 2018.{{Cite web |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/28/debut-of-spacexs-falcon-heavy-rocket-now-planned-in-january/ |title=Debut of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket now planned early next year |website=Spaceflight Now |access-date=November 29, 2017 |date=November 28, 2017 |first=Stephen |last=Clark}}

At a July 2017 meeting of the International Space Station Research and Development meeting in Washington, D.C., SpaceX CEO Elon Musk downplayed expectations for the success of the maiden flight:

There's a real good chance the vehicle won't make it to orbit ... I hope it makes it far enough away from the pad that it does not cause pad damage. I would consider even that a win, to be honest.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqvBhhTtUm4?t=852 |title=Elon Musk, ISS R&D Conference |date=July 19, 2017 |last=Musk |first=Elon |medium=video |location=ISS R&D Conference, Washington DC, USA |time=36:00–39:50 |access-date=February 5, 2018 |quote=There is a lot of risk associated with the Falcon Heavy. There is a real good chance that the vehicle does not make it to orbit ... I hope it makes far enough away from the pad that it does not cause pad damage. I would consider even that a win, to be honest. ... I think Falcon Heavy is going to be a great vehicle. There is just so much that is really impossible to test on the ground. We'll do our best. ... It actually ended up being way harder to do Falcon Heavy than we thought. At first it sounds real easy; you just stick two first stages on as strap-on boosters. How hard can that be? But then everything changes. [the loads change, aerodynamics totally change, tripled vibration and acoustics, you break the qualification levels on all the hardware, redesign the center core airframe, separation systems] ... Really way, way more difficult than we originally thought. We were pretty naive about that. ... but optimized, it's 2 1/2 times the payload capability of Falcon 9. |via=YouTube}}

Musk went on to say the integration and structural challenges of combining three Falcon 9 cores were much more difficult than expected.{{cite web |last=Wall |first=Mike |date=July 20, 2017 |title=SpaceX's Big New Rocket May Crash on 1st Flight, Elon Musk Says |url=https://www.space.com/37550-elon-musk-spacex-falcon-heavy-maiden-launch.html |website=Space.com}} The plan was for all three cores to land back on Earth after launch.

In December 2017, Musk tweeted that the dummy payload on the maiden Falcon Heavy launch would be his personal midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing David Bowie's "Life on Mars", and that it would be launched into an orbit around the Sun that will take it as far out as Mars' orbit.{{cite web |last1=Plait |first1=Phil |title=Elon Musk: On the Roadster to Mars |url= http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/elon-musk-on-the-roadster-to-mars |website=Syfy Wire |date=December 2, 2017 |access-date= December 7, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://spacenews.com/musk-says-tesla-car-will-fly-on-first-falcon-heavy-launch/ |title=Musk says Tesla car will fly on first Falcon Heavy launch |date=December 2, 2017 |publisher=SpaceNews |first=Jeff |last=Foust}} He released pictures in the following days.{{cite news |last1=Knapp |first1=Alex |title=Elon Musk Shows Off Photos of a Tesla Roadster Getting Prepped to Go to Mars |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2017/12/22/elon-musk-shows-off-photos-of-tesla-roadster-prepped-to-go-to-mars/#54f169f47cbb |magazine=Forbes |access-date=December 23, 2017 |date=December 22, 2017}} The car has three cameras attached that provided "epic views".{{cite news |title=Elon Musk's huge Falcon Heavy rocket set for launch |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42950957 |access-date=February 6, 2018 |work=BBC News |date=February 6, 2018 |first=Jonathan |last=Amos}}

On December 28, 2017, the Falcon Heavy was moved to the launch pad in preparation of a static fire test of all 27 engines, which was expected on January 19, 2018.{{Cite news |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/01/17/updates-spacex-targeting-falcon-heavy-test-fire-ksc-florida-before-launch/1041353001/| title=SpaceX Falcon Heavy status updates: Now targeting Friday for test fire at KSC |last=Kelly |first=Emre |date=January 17, 2018 |newspaper=Florida Today |access-date=January 18, 2018}} However, due to the U.S. government shutdown that began on January 20, the testing and launch were further delayed.{{cite news |first=Loren |last=Grush |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/22/16918464/spacex-falcon-heavy-rocket-static-fire-delayed-shutdown |title=Shutdown means SpaceX can't test its Falcon Heavy rocket, creating further delays |date=January 22, 2018 |work=The Verge |access-date=January 22, 2018}}

The static fire test was conducted on January 24, 2018.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/24/16841580/spacex-falcon-heavy-rocket-static-fire-first-launch|title=SpaceX performs crucial test fire of Falcon Heavy, potentially paving way for launch |work=The Verge |access-date=January 24, 2018 |date=January 24, 2018 |first=Loren |last=Grush}}{{Cite AV media |first=Dennis |last=Kapatos |title=01/24/2018 – Historic Falcon 9 Heavy Test Fire! |date=January 24, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuXHriwQB9g |access-date=January 24, 2018 |via=YouTube |medium=video}} Musk confirmed via Twitter that the test "was good" and announced the rocket would be launched in approximately one week.{{Cite tweet |user=elonmusk |number=956233892637286400|title=Falcon Heavy hold-down firing this morning was good. Generated quite a thunderhead of steam. Launching in a week or so |last=Musk |first=Elon |date=January 24, 2018 |access-date=January 24, 2018}}

The mission was the test flight of the Falcon Heavy, intended to demonstrate the rocket's capabilities while gathering telemetry throughout the flight.

{{main|Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster}}

File:Tesla Roadster in Falcon Heavy fairing.jpg

File:Tesla Roadster mounted on Falcon Heavy upper stage.png

The dummy payload for this test flight was a sports car, Tesla Roadster, owned by Elon Musk. SpaceX stated that the payload had to be "something fun and without irreplaceable sentimental value". Sitting in the driver's seat of the Roadster is "Starman", a dummy astronaut clad in a SpaceX spacesuit. It has his right hand on the steering wheel and left elbow resting on the open window sill. Starman is named for the David Bowie song "Starman". The car's sound system was looping the symbolic Bowie songs "Space Oddity" and "Life on Mars?".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/story/spacex-successfully-launches-the-falcon-heavyand-elon-musks-roadster/ |title=SpaceX Successfully Launches the Falcon Heavy—And Elon Musk's Roadster |magazine=WIRED |first=Robin |last=Seemangal |access-date=February 7, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207003954/https://www.wired.com/story/spacex-successfully-launches-the-falcon-heavyand-elon-musks-roadster/ |archive-date=February 7, 2018 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.out.com/news-opinion/2018/2/07/elon-musk-sent-tesla-playing-david-bowie-mars-yesterday |title=Elon Musk Sent a Tesla Playing David Bowie to Mars Yesterday |date=February 7, 2018 |magazine=Out Magazine |first=Dennis |last=Hinzmann |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208035605/https://www.out.com/news-opinion/2018/2/07/elon-musk-sent-tesla-playing-david-bowie-mars-yesterday |archive-date=February 8, 2018 }}

It was launched with sufficient velocity to escape the Earth and enter an elliptic orbit around the Sun that crosses the orbit of Mars, reaching an aphelion (maximum distance from the Sun) of 1.66 AU.{{cite web |url=https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=-143205&CENTER='500@10'&MAKE_EPHEM=YES&TABLE_TYPE=ELEMENTS&START_TIME=2018-05-01&STOP_TIME='2018-05-01+00:00:01'&OUT_UNITS=AU-D&REF_PLANE=ECLIPTIC&REF_SYSTEM=J2000&TP_TYPE=ABSOLUTE&ELEM_LABELS=YES&CSV_FORMAT=NO&OBJ_DATA=YES |title=Tesla Roadster (spacecraft) (solution #8) |work=JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System |date=February 20, 2018 |access-date=February 21, 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/02/08/starman-puts-earth-in-the-rearview-mirror/ |title='Starman' puts Earth in the rearview mirror |last=Harwood |first=William |date=February 8, 2017 |work=Spaceflight Now |agency=CBS News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208040406/https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/02/08/starman-puts-earth-in-the-rearview-mirror/ |archive-date=February 8, 2018 }} During the early portion of its voyage it functioned as a broadcast device, sending video back to Earth for four hours. The Roadster remains attached to the second stage.{{cite tweet |user=planet4589 |first=Jonathan |last=McDowell |author-link=Jonathan McDowell |number=961675763450830849 |date=February 8, 2018 |access-date=February 11, 2018 |title=I now have confirmation that the Tesla remains attached to the Falcon 2nd stage, which is being observed by asteroid experts}}

This launcher demonstration made the Roadster the first consumer car sent into space.{{cite news |url=https://futurism.com/experts-elon-musk-roadster/ |title=The First Car in Space |date=December 30, 2017 |work=Futurism, LLC |access-date=January 14, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113145542/https://futurism.com/experts-elon-musk-roadster/ |archive-date=January 13, 2018 |first=Claudia |last=Geib}} Three Lunar Roving Vehicles were sent to space on the Apollo 15, 16, and 17 missions in the 1970s, and these vehicles were left on the Moon.{{cite web |url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo_lrv.html |title=The Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle |date=November 15, 2005 |publisher=NASA |access-date=May 16, 2010 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715222253/http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo_lrv.html |archive-date=July 15, 2011 }} The Roadster is one of two formerly crewed vehicles (albeit not a crewed space vehicle) derelict in solar orbit, joining LM-4 Snoopy, Apollo 10's lunar module ascent stage.{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo10.html |title=Apollo 10 |date=July 8, 2009 |editor-last=Ryba |editor-first=Jeanne |publisher=NASA |access-date=June 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723165654/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo10.html |archive-date=July 23, 2013 }}{{cite web |url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apolloloc.html |title=Current locations of the Apollo Command Module Capsules (and Lunar Module crash sites) |website=Apollo: Where are they now? |publisher=NASA |access-date=December 27, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717164926/http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apolloloc.html |archive-date=July 17, 2011 }}

Also, included was Arch Mission 1.2, which is a crystal disk containing Isaac Asimov's Foundation series of books, on the Tesla Roadster.{{cite news |url=http://abc30.com/technology/theres-now-a-library-in-space-that-could-last-millions-of-years/3062830/ |title=The SpaceX launch included a small library that could orbit the Sun for millions of years |publisher=ABC 30 Action News |date=February 10, 2018 |access-date=February 14, 2018 |last=Clemens |first=Danny|newspaper=Abc30 Fresno }}

There is a copy of Douglas Adams' 1979 novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in the glovebox, along with references to the book in the form of a towel and a sign on the dashboard that reads "{{smallcaps|Don't Panic!}}".{{cite tweet |user=tiamaria68uk |number=938930620511801345 |access-date=December 8, 2017 |date=December 7, 2017 |title=Will the glove box contain "The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy"?}}{{cite tweet |author-link=Elon Musk |user=elonmusk |number=938947119246860290 |access-date=December 8, 2017 |date=December 8, 2017 |title=Yes |first=Elon |last=Musk}}{{cite tweet |author-link=Elon Musk |user=elonmusk |title=Plus a towel and a sign saying 'Don't Panic' |number=939005893634506752 |access-date=December 8, 2017 |date=December 8, 2017 |first=Elon |last=Musk}} A Hot Wheels miniature Roadster with a miniature Starman is mounted on the dashboard. A plaque bearing the names of the employees who worked on the project is underneath the car, and a message on the vehicle's circuit board reads "Made on Earth by humans".{{cite web |title=Elon Musk on Instagram: "Printed on the circuit board of a car in deep space" |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Be31IJxgOoK/ |website=Instagram |language=en |access-date=April 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207035617/https://www.instagram.com/p/Be31IJxgOoK/ |archive-date=February 7, 2018 |url-status=dead }}

Falcon Heavy flew in its reusable configuration, allowing for a landing approach of both side boosters and the central core.

The side boosters consisted of two previously flown Falcon 9 first stages, being reused from the CRS-9 mission in July 2016 and the Thaicom 8 launch in May 2016.{{cite news |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/40985-falcon-heavy-rocket-flight-proven-side-core-boosters |title=Falcon Heavy Demo Mission Today Will Send Two Used Rockets Back to Space |work=Inverse |access-date=February 16, 2018 |date=February 6, 2018 |first=Nick |last=Lucchesi}} The central core was newly built because it needs to support stronger forces during ascent, so that a regular first stage could not be used. The upper stage was the same as on a Falcon 9.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a16571489/elon-musk-space-tesla-mars/ |title=Elon Musk's Space Tesla Isn't Going to Mars. It's Going Somewhere More Important. |date=February 5, 2018 |first=Joe |last=Pappalardo |magazine=Popular Mechanics |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206230725/https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a16571489/elon-musk-space-tesla-mars/ |archive-date=February 6, 2018 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/6/16971200/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-success-roadster-orbit-elon-musk |title=SpaceX launches its powerful Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time |first=Loren |last=Grush |date=February 6, 2018 |website=The Verge |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206215555/https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/6/16971200/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-success-roadster-orbit-elon-musk |archive-date=February 6, 2018 }}

Side boosters equipped with a nose cone have different aerodynamic properties than the usual Falcon 9 boosters with a cylindric interstage. For this reason, SpaceX equipped them with larger and sturdier grid fins made of titanium, to help guide the atmospheric descent accurately.{{Cite news |url=https://www.space.com/39618-elon-musk-falcon-heavy-spacex-reaction.html |title='Crazy Things Can Come True': Elon Musk Reacts to Falcon Heavy Launch Success |work=Space.com |access-date=February 16, 2018 |date=February 7, 2018 |first=Sarah |last=Lewin}} The central core, however, still used conventional aluminum grid fins, as its aerodynamic properties are very similar to those of a conventional Falcon 9 first stage.

The Roadster was mounted on the second stage using a custom-made payload adapter, and was encapsulated in a conventional fairing.{{Cite web |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/02/06/launch-timeline-for-falcon-heavys-maiden-flight/ |title=Launch timeline for Falcon Heavy's maiden flight |website=Spaceflight Now |date=February 6, 2018 |first=Stephen |last=Clark |access-date=February 16, 2018}} Falcon Heavy also supports the launch of Dragon capsules without a fairing.{{Cite web |url=http://www.spacex.com/falcon-heavy |title=Falcon Heavy |date=November 15, 2012 |publisher=SpaceX |access-date=February 16, 2018 |archive-date=April 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406182002/http://www.spacex.com/falcon-heavy |url-status=dead }}

File:Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster (40110304192).jpg

The Falcon Heavy maiden flight was intended to accomplish at least several of the following objectives:

• launch the Falcon Heavy from the pad through the atmosphere, including Max Q flight phase;
• separate the side booster cores from the continuing first stage center core and upper stage
• return the two side boosters to Cape Canaveral and land them simultaneously at Landing Zones 1 and 2
• separate the center core and light the upper stage to orbit insertion
• land the central first stage booster core on an autonomous spaceport drone ship, the Of Course I Still Love You, in the Atlantic Ocean
• relight the upper stage to orbit in the Van Allen belts for several hours to show radiation resistance
• relight the upper stage again to put the payload into its heliocentric orbit, demonstrating a lifetime for the upper stage suitable for geosynchronous orbit insertion.{{cite news |last1=Gebhardt |first1=Chris |title=SpaceX set to debut Falcon Heavy in demonstration launch from KSC |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/02/spacex-debut-falcon-heavy-demonstration-launch/ |access-date=February 6, 2018 |website=NASASpaceFlight}}

The purpose of including the Roadster on the maiden flight was to demonstrate that the Falcon Heavy can launch payloads as far as the orbit of Mars, and it exceeded its projected route by extending its aphelion to near the asteroid belt beyond Mars (with a perihelion at the level of Earth's orbit),{{cite news |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-apos-tesla-missed-180525262.html |title=Elon Musk's Tesla Missed Mars Orbit After Successful Falcon Heavy Launch |first=Don |last=Reisinger |magazine=Fortune Magazine |via=Yahoo! Finance |date=February 7, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208071454/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-apos-tesla-missed-180525262.html |archive-date=February 8, 2018 }} but did not test or demonstrate the separation of the second stage and a payload.

{{Wikinews|SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket blasts Elon Musk's personal Tesla into solar orbit}}

After a delay of over two hours due to high winds, the launch occurred at 3:45 PM EST, or 20:45 UTC, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida; the Roadster was successfully placed in its orbit, and its two booster cores returned to land at Landing Zones 1 and 2 several minutes later. The sole objective not completed was the landing of the central core; while its fate was initially ambiguous due to signal loss and heavy smoke, Musk confirmed several hours after the launch that the booster had not survived the recovery attempt.{{cite web |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/02/05/falcon-heavy-demo-flight-mission-status-center/ |title=Live coverage: Falcon Heavy blasts off for first time, set for Earth departure burn |first=Stephen |last=Clark |date=February 6, 2018 |publisher=Spaceflight Now |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206211055/https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/02/05/falcon-heavy-demo-flight-mission-status-center/ |archive-date=February 6, 2018 }} Because two of the three engines necessary to land were unable to reignite, the booster hit the water at {{convert|500|km/h|mph|-2}}, {{convert|100|m|ft|-2}} away from the drone ship.{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/06/spacex-falcon-heavy-center-core-lost/ |title=SpaceX confirms it lost the center core of the Falcon Heavy |website=Engadget |date=February 6, 2018 |first=Swapna |last=Krishna |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207063242/https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/06/spacex-falcon-heavy-center-core-lost/ |archive-date=February 7, 2018 }} The final upper stage transfer burn to solar orbit produced an orbit that will be beyond the orbit of Mars at its furthest point from the sun.{{cite news |first=William |last=Harwood |date=February 6, 2018 |title=SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch puts on spectacular show in maiden flight |work=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-spectacular-maiden-flight/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206230140/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-spectacular-maiden-flight/ |archive-date=February 6, 2018 }}

As the launch was a success, most planned events took place in the planned point of time. As the central core landing burn wasn't performed correctly, the exact time of the landing attempt is not known.

The mission timeline was (all times approximate):

In the above table, events are color coded.

File:Falcon Heavy Demo Mission (40126461851).jpg

Although Elon Musk had publicly declared that there is a 50-50 chance of success, the rocket performed nominally and launched on schedule, followed by nominal separation of the side-boosters (first stage), and soon after, by the central core booster (second stage).{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/02/06/technology/future/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-mainbar/index.html|title=SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful rocket |first=Jackie |last=Wattles |publisher=CNN Money |date=February 6, 2018}} Valuable telemetry data on the performance of the launch system and its components were obtained for all stages of the test flight.

File:Falcon Heavy Side Boosters landing on LZ1 and LZ2 - 2018 (25254688767).jpg

Both boosters successfully landed almost simultaneously on the ground at Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. As the boosters were from an older generation of the Falcon 9 booster, SpaceX has ruled out using any of their major parts for a third mission. Due to the high cost and lengthy manufacturing process of the grid fins, however, those were reused on future flights.{{cite news |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/7/16983040/spacex-falcon-heavy-rocket-launch-schedule-spaceflight |title=Here's what's next for SpaceX after Falcon Heavy's first flight |work=The Verge |date=February 7, 2018 |first=Sean |last=O'Kane |access-date=February 16, 2018}}

The central core attempted to return to the autonomous spaceport drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" but failed to light two of the three engines during the landing burn. The core crashed into the ocean {{convert|100|m|ft|-2}} away from the drone ship at {{convert|500|km/h|mph|-2}}, causing damage to two of the drone ship's station-keeping thrusters. According to Elon Musk on the post-flight conference, the central core ran out of triethylaluminium-triethylborane (TEA-TEB) igniter fluid.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROnomVVQ2cU |title=Elon Musk celebrates successful Falcon Heavy rocket launch |publisher=CBS News |date=February 6, 2018 |access-date=February 7, 2018 |via=YouTube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207064738/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROnomVVQ2cU |archive-date=February 7, 2018 |medium=video}} Musk later stated that the fix to this problem was "pretty obvious", which led many to believe SpaceX was simply going to add more ignition fluid on future missions.{{Cite news |url=https://www.space.com/39690-elon-musk-explains-falcon-heavy-core-booster-crash.html |title=Elon Musk Explains Why SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Core Booster Crashed |work=Space.com |first=Tariq |last=Malik |date=February 14, 2018 |access-date=February 16, 2018}} As SpaceX was phasing out Block 3 and starting the transition to only use Block 5 hardware for future Falcon 9 launches, the Block 3 center core loss did not impact future SpaceX operations.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KORTP545vAc#t=52m32s |title=Space X News Conference |publisher=SpaceX |date=February 6, 2018 |via=YouTube |access-date=February 6, 2018 |medium=video}}

File:Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster (40143096241).jpg|alt=Large circular disc of a fully-illuminated planet Earth showing Australia floating in the blackness of space. In front of Earth is a red convertible sports-car seen from the side. A humanoid figure wearing a white-and-black spacesuit is seated in the driving seat with the right-arm holding the steering wheel, and the left-arm resting on the top of the car door.]]

{{main|Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster#Orbit tracking}}

The second stage fired three times before placing the dummy payload in a heliocentric orbit, with an aphelion of 1.66 AU,{{cite web |url=https://www.projectpluto.com/temp/j95.htm#elements |title=Pseudo-MPEC for 2018-017A |date=February 8, 2018 |publisher=Project Pluto |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208022307/https://www.projectpluto.com/temp/j95.htm#elements |archive-date=February 8, 2018 }} beyond Mars. The payload has an orbital period of 1.53 years. The first four hours of the flight were streamed live on YouTube. The last image released to the public was taken after the second stage finished burning all of its fuel, and showed Starman leaving Earth behind.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/08/elon-musk-shares-the-epic-last-photo-of-starman-in-the-red-tesla-he-shot-into-space.html |title=Elon Musk shares the epic last photo of 'Starman' in the red Tesla he shot into space |first=Catherine |last=Clifford |date=February 8, 2018 |publisher=CNBC}} Batteries were expected to last about 12 hours.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/07/starman-has-gone-dark/|title=Starman has gone dark |website=TechCrunch |date=February 7, 2018 |first=Devin |last=Coldewey}} NASA added the second stage to its database for tracking Solar System objects, and it is not expected to make any close encounters with Earth before 2091.{{cite journal |last1=Rein |first1=Hanno |last2=Tamayo |first2=Daniel |last3=Vokrouhlicky |first3=David |title=The random walk of cars and their collision probabilities with planets |journal=Aerospace |arxiv=1802.04718 |date=February 13, 2018 |volume=5 |issue=2 |page=57 |doi=10.3390/aerospace5020057 |bibcode=2018Aeros...5...57R |s2cid=119328461 |doi-access=free }}

File:Falcon Heavy maiden launch viewing party.jpg

The test flight was a viral event, attracting extensive news coverage and media attention worldwide,{{Cite web |last=Harwood |first=William |date=2018-02-06 |title=Rocket launch today: SpaceX Falcon Heavy puts on spectacular show in maiden flight |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-spectacular-maiden-flight/ |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=CBS News}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOHsWf2xSa4 |title=SpaceX Launches The Falcon Heavy Rocket & Why It's Such A Big Deal For Elon Musk {{!}} TIME |date=February 6, 2018 |last= |publisher=TIME |access-date=2024-03-21 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web |last=Greshko |first=Michael |date=2018-02-10 |title=Exclusive: Watch Elon Musk Freak Out Over the Falcon Heavy Launch |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/elon-musk-reacts-spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-space-science |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=National Geographic |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-02-07 |title='De jongens van SpaceX zijn de cowboys van de ruimte' |trans-title='The SpaceX guys are the cowboys of space' |url=https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2215784-de-jongens-van-spacex-zijn-de-cowboys-van-de-ruimte |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}{{Cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Surendra |last2=Laxman |first2=Srinivas |date=2018-02-08 |title=Like Space X, Isro too working on reusable rocket stages |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/like-space-x-isro-too-working-on-reusable-rocket-stages/articleshow/62825904.cms |access-date=2024-03-21 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}} and becoming a subject of many Internet memes and parodies.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-01 |title=47 Of The Funniest Reactions To Elon Musk Sending Tesla Car To Mars |url=https://www.boredpanda.com/elon-musk-tesla-in-space-reactions/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601021741/https://www.boredpanda.com/elon-musk-tesla-in-space-reactions/ |archive-date=2020-06-01 |access-date=2024-03-21 }}{{Cite web |last=Padeanu |first=Adrian |date=14 February 2018 |title=Skoda Releases Video Proof Of Sending Superb To Mars |url=https://www.motor1.com/news/233075/skoda-superb-goes-to-mars/ |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=Motor1.com |language=en}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8uyilHatBA |title=elon r u ok |date=February 6, 2018 |last=jschlatt |access-date=2024-03-21 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJOTdZBX1g |title=YouTube Rewind 2018: Everyone Controls Rewind {{!}} #YouTubeRewind |date=December 6, 2018 |last=YouTube |access-date=2024-03-21 |via=YouTube}} With over 2.3 million viewers seeing the launch live, the webcast of the Falcon Heavy test flight{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbSwFU6tY1c |title=Falcon Heavy Test Flight |date=February 6, 2018 |last=SpaceX |access-date=2024-03-21 |via=YouTube}} was at the time the second most watched livestream ever on YouTube.{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/6/16981730/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-youtube-live-stream-record |title=SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch was YouTube's second biggest live stream ever |publisher=The Verge |first=Micah |last=Singleton |date=February 6, 2018}} Approximately 100,000 people watched the launch from Cape Canaveral.{{Cite news |url=https://www.space.com/39779-falcon-heavy-facts.html |title=Facts About SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Rocket |work=Space.com |access-date=April 29, 2018 |first=Elizabeth |last=Howell |date=February 21, 2018}}

This launch won both the SpaceNews's Award and Readers' Choice's Award of Breakthrough of the Year in 2018,{{cite web |title=The SpaceNews Awards for Excellence and Innovation 2018 |url=https://spacenewsawards.com/2018-spacenews-awards/ |website=SNAwards |access-date=November 11, 2019}} and inspired technology enthusiasts{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2szjw6ZpJ4w |title=We Tried to Launch a Tesla to Space Too |date=February 25, 2018 |last=Donut |access-date=2024-03-21 |via=YouTube}} and start-ups{{Cite news |date=2019-06-12 |title=Russians send Soviet car model into stratosphere |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-48615344 |access-date=2024-03-21 |language=en-GB}} to pay tribute to the Falcon Heavy and its payload.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted:{{cite tweet |author-link=Donald Trump |user=realDonaldTrump |number=961073467784421382 |date=February 7, 2018 |title=Congratulations @ElonMusk and @SpaceX on the successful #FalconHeavy launch. This achievement, along with @NASA's commercial and international partners, continues to show American ingenuity at its best! |access-date=February 9, 2018 |first=Donald |last=Trump}} {{blockquote|Congratulations @ElonMusk and @SpaceX on the successful #FalconHeavy launch. This achievement, along with @NASA’s commercial and international partners, continues to show American ingenuity at its best!}}

Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver advocated the cancellation of the Space Launch System program as a result of the success of this demonstration.{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/372994-spacex-could-save-nasa-and-the-future-of-space-exploration/ |title=SpaceX could save NASA and the future of space exploration |newspaper=The Hill |first= Lori |last=Garver |date=February 8, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209073827/http://thehill.com/opinion/technology/372994-spacex-could-save-nasa-and-the-future-of-space-exploration |archive-date=February 9, 2018}} The chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, K. Sivan, congratulated Musk and called the launch "a quantum leap in space technology".

Later, Elon Musk released a video highlighting the flight, and thanking fans.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0FZIwabctw |title=Falcon Heavy & Starman |date=March 10, 2018 |publisher=SpaceX |via=YouTube |medium=video}}{{cite web |url=https://mashable.com/2018/03/10/elon-musk-westworld-falcon-heavy-video-sxsw/ |title=Elon Musk drops epic Falcon Heavy launch trailers made by 'Westworld' co-creator |first=Raymond |last=Wong |publisher=Mashable |date=March 11, 2018}}

{{blockquote|Life cannot just be about solving one sad problem after another. There need to be things that inspire you, that make you glad to wake up in the morning and be part of humanity. That is why we did it. We did for you.{{Cite tweet |user=elonmusk |number=972628124893671432 |title=Why Falcon Heavy & Starman? ... |last=Musk |first=Elon |author-link=Elon Musk |date=March 10, 2018}}}}

File:Falcon Heavy clearing the tower 04.jpg|First launch of the Falcon Heavy

File:Falcon Heavy Demo Mission (40126462231).jpg|Falcon Heavy ascending

File:Tesla Roadster orbital diagram.png|Expected elliptical orbital path outside Mars

File:Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster (40110297852).jpg|Roadster with Starman in orbit

{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

• Starship flight test 1
• Timeline of private spaceflight

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite twitter |last=Musk |first=Elon |user=ElonMusk |title=Third burn successful |number=961083704230674438 |date=February 6, 2018}}

}}

{{Commons category|Falcon Heavy Flight 1}}

• SpaceX: {{youTube|wbSwFU6tY1c|Falcon Heavy Test Flight}} (February 6, 2018) live broadcast feed
• SpaceX: {{youTube|aBr2kKAHN6M|Live Views of Starman}} (February 6, 2018) live broadcast feed from the Tesla Roadster in orbit
• SpaceX: {{youTube|sNgByUWwFKU|Falcon Heavy Demo — Static Fire }} (January 24, 2018) static fire test of Falcon Heavy #1
• SpaceX: {{youTube|Tk338VXcb24|Falcon Heavy Animation}} (February 5, 2018) animated simulated flight 1 of Falcon Heavy
• NASA Kennedy Space Center: [https://web.archive.org/web/20180207063129/https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches-and-events/events-calendar/2018/february/rocket-launch-spacex-falcon-heavy "Rocket Launch: February 6, 2018 | SpaceX Falcon Heavy Inaugural Flight"]
• Elon Musk: [https://web.archive.org/web/20171222194659/https://www.instagram.com/p/BdA94kVgQhU/ "A Red Car for the Red Planet"] on Instagram (December 22, 2017)

{{SpaceX}}

{{Falcon rocket launches}}

{{Orbital launches in 2018}}

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Category:2018 in Florida

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Category:Falcon Heavy

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Category:Rocket launches in 2018