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By JONATHAN CORUM
SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy rocket for the second time on Thursday. Related Article
SpaceX routinely flies two versions of its Falcon 9 rocket, one to carry NASA cargo to the International Space Station and one to lift satellites into Earth orbit. A crewed version is being tested and could carry astronauts later this year.
The more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off for the first time in 2018.
A smaller rocket, Falcon 1, flew from 2006 to 2009.
Nose
cone
Dragon
capsule
Second
stage
First
stage
Landing
legs
Falcon 9
and Dragon
Falcon 9
Falcon
Heavy
2019
2018
Feb. 6, 2018
First launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket.
Dec. 2017
13th resupply mission to the I.S.S.
Bars show
past SpaceX
launches
2017
Failed
Sept. 2016
A Falcon 9 explodes on its launchpad during fueling.
2016
Dec. 2015
First soft landing of the first stage of a Falcon 9 after liftoff.
Failed
June 2015
A Falcon 9 breaks up in flight.
2015
2014
Sept. 2013
First launch of an upgraded Falcon 9 designed to carry satellites into orbit.
2013
May 2012
A Dragon capsule is the first private spacecraft to dock at the I.S.S.
2012
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH
2011
Second stage
(one engine)
2010
First stage
(one engine)
Falcon 1
July 2009
Fifth and final launch of the Falcon 1 rocket.
2009
Failed
Sept. 2008
Falcon 1 is the first privately developed liquid-fuel rocket to enter Earth orbit.
Aug. 2008
A third Falcon 1 launch fails when the first and second stages collide during separation.
2008
Failed
March 2007
A Falcon 1 rocket makes it to space, but is lost soon after launching.
2007
March 2006
The first Falcon 1 launch fails because of a fuel line leak.
Failed
2006
Nose
cone
A Cast of Falcons
SpaceX routinely flies two versions of its Falcon 9 rocket, one to carry NASA cargo to the International Space Station and one to lift satellites into Earth orbit. A crewed version is being tested and could carry astronauts later this year.
The more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off for the first time in 2018.
A smaller rocket, Falcon 1, flew from 2006 to 2009.
Dragon capsule
Second stage
(one engine)
First stage
(nine engines, or
27 in the Heavy)
Landing legs
Falcon 9
and Dragon
Falcon 9
Falcon
Heavy
2019
2018
Feb. 6, 2018 Falcon Heavy successfully lifts off on its demonstration flight. The rocket carried a Tesla Roadster into space.
Bars show
past SpaceX
launches
2017
Failed
Sept. 2016 A Falcon 9 carrying a $200 million satellite explodes on its launchpad during fueling.
2016
Failed
June 2015 A Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA cargo disintegrates in flight after a strut snaps.
2015
2014
Sept. 2013 First launch of an upgraded Falcon 9 rocket designed to carry satellites into orbit.
2013
May 2012 A Dragon capsule is the first private spacecraft to dock at the I.S.S.
2012
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH
2011
July 2011 Final launch of the space shuttle. NASA currently relies on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to carry astronauts to and from the I.S.S.
Second stage
(one engine)
2010
Falcon 1
June 2010 The first launch of a Falcon 9 rocket successfully delivers a mockup of the Dragon capsule into Earth orbit.
2009
Failed
2008
Sept. 2008 After three failed launch attempts, the Falcon 1 becomes the first privately developed liquid-fuel rocket to enter Earth orbit.
Failed
2007
Failed
2006
March 2006 The first Falcon 1 launch fails about a minute into ascent because of a fuel line leak.
Nose
cone
A Cast of Falcons
SpaceX routinely flies two versions of its Falcon 9 rocket, one to carry NASA cargo to the International Space Station and one to lift satellites into Earth orbit. A crewed version is being tested and could carry astronauts later this year.
The more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off for the first time in 2018.
A smaller rocket, Falcon 1, flew from 2006 to 2009.
Dragon capsule
Second stage
(one engine)
First stage
(nine engines, or
27 in the Heavy)
Landing legs
Falcon 9
and Dragon
Falcon 9
Falcon
Heavy
2019
2018
Feb. 6, 2018 Falcon Heavy lifts off on its demonstration flight. The rocket carried a Tesla Roadster into space.
Bars show
past SpaceX
launches
2017
Failed
Sept. 2016 A Falcon 9 carrying a $200 million satellite explodes on its launchpad during fueling.
2016
Failed
June 2015 A Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA cargo disintegrates in flight after a strut snaps.
2015
2014
Sept. 2013 First launch of an upgraded Falcon 9 rocket designed to carry satellites into orbit.
2013
2012
May 2012 A Dragon capsule is the first private spacecraft to dock at the I.S.S.
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH
2011
Second stage
(one engine)
June 2010 The first launch of a Falcon 9 rocket successfully delivers a mockup of the Dragon capsule into Earth orbit.
2010
First stage
(one engine)
Falcon 1
2009
Failed
Sept. 2008 After three failed launch attempts, Falcon 1 is the first privately developed liquid-fuel rocket to enter Earth orbit.
2008
Failed
2007
March 2006 The first Falcon 1 launch fails about a minute into ascent because of a fuel line leak.
Failed
A Cast of Falcons
SpaceX routinely flies two versions of its Falcon 9 rocket, one to carry NASA cargo to the International Space Station and one to lift satellites into Earth orbit. A crewed version is being tested and could carry astronauts later this year.
The more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off for the first time in 2018.
A smaller rocket, Falcon 1, flew from 2006 to 2009.
Dragon capsule
Nose cone
Second stage
(one engine)
Second stage
(one engine)
Relative size of
the space shuttle
First stage
(nine engines)
First stage
(27 engines)
Landing legs
Landing legs
Falcon 9
and Dragon
Falcon 9
Falcon
Heavy
2019
2018
Jan. 2018 A Falcon 9 rocket carries the classified Zuma satellite into orbit. But the satellite may have failed to separate and been destroyed.
Feb. 6, 2018 Falcon Heavy successfully lifts off on its demonstration flight. The rocket carried a Tesla Roadster into space.
Bars show
past SpaceX
launches
2017
Failed
Dec. 2017 A crewless Dragon capsule attached to the International Space Station (I.S.S.) during SpaceX’s 13th resupply mission to the station.
Sept. 2016 A Falcon 9 carrying a $200 million satellite explodes on its launchpad during fueling.
2016
Failed
June 2015 A Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA cargo disintegrates in flight after a strut snaps.
Dec. 2015 The first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket touches down successfully after delivering a group of satellites to Earth orbit. Previous attempts to gently land a Falcon 9’s first stage had failed.
2015
2014
March 2013 Photographers watch a Falcon 9 lift off on a second resupply mission to the I.S.S.
Sept. 2013 First launch of an upgraded Falcon 9 rocket designed to carry satellites into orbit.
2013
May 2012 A Dragon capsule is the first private spacecraft to dock at the I.S.S.
2012
July 2011 Final launch of the space shuttle. NASA currently relies on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to carry astronauts to and from the I.S.S.
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH
Dec. 2010 SpaceX launches the first operational version of its Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket.
2011
Second stage
(one engine)
June 2010 The first launch of a Falcon 9 rocket successfully delivers a mockup of the Dragon capsule into Earth orbit.
2010
First stage
(one engine)
July 2009 The fifth and final launch of the Falcon 1 rocket, which was designed to send small satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Falcon 1
2009
Failed
Aug. 2008 A third Falcon 1 launch fails when the first and second stages collide during separation.
Sept. 2008 Falcon 1 becomes the first privately developed liquid-fuel rocket to enter Earth orbit.
2008
Failed
2007
March 2007 A Falcon 1 rocket makes it to space, but is lost about five minutes after launching.
March 2006 The first Falcon 1 launch fails about a minute into ascent because of a fuel line leak.
Failed
-
SpaceX Successfully Launches Falcon Heavy Rocket Feb. 10, 2018 -
SpaceX’s Big Rocket, the Falcon Heavy, Reaches the Launchpad July 14, 2022 -
A Secret Satellite Launched by SpaceX May Have Failed. What Happened? Feb. 6, 2018 -
No One Owns the Moon. Can Anyone Make Money There? Jan. 20, 2018 -
Sync Your Calendar With the Solar System Feb. 26, 2019 -
SpaceX’s Big Rocket, the Falcon Heavy, Reaches the Launchpad July 14, 2022
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