This Is What Spaceflight Will Look Like
When SpaceX launches its Falcon Heavy rocket later this year, it will double down on attempting what was once thought impossible.
Earlier this month, Space X tried to do the impossible, land a booster rocket back down on earth, thereby cutting the cost of space travel by a factor of 100. While they came close, they didn’t exactly pull it off. Still, it seems like only a matter of time before Space X perfects the recovery of its rockets, meaning that not only will space travel be less expensive, but rockets can become even more powerful and sophisticated, instead of just of incredibly expensive disposables.
And that matter of time, by the way, is within this year – or so Space X claims. In the video below, Space X is previewing the launch of their new Falcon Heavy rocket, which will be able to carry more than four times the weight of its current rocket, the Falcon 9 (for some perspective, the Falcon Heavy will liftoff with a force equal to eighteen 747s operating simultaneously). In the computer illustrated video, each of the rockets returns back to earth after detaching from the rocket, making perfect landings back at the launch center in Florida. Whether Space X will be able to pull it off by the end of the year is tough to tell, but then again, they’ve been known to do the nearly impossible.
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