After making headlines two weeks ago with the video of “the most powerful rocket ever,” SpaceX is now even closer to launching the fiery Falcon Heavy for the first time.
Elon Musk released the new video on his Twitter account where he flaunted the spaceflight company’s test firing of one of the boosters that will be used in the Falcon Heavy rocket launch.
The “side booster” shown in the video below will be strapped on the main stage the Falcon Heavy and help it give the record-breaking thrust to lift the heaviest of payloads into the outer space.
Static fire test of a Falcon Heavy side booster completed in McGregor, TX last week. This booster previously launched Thaicom 8. pic.twitter.com/nWrNCXtu13
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 25, 2017
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is pinned to be company’s most powerful rocket yet and will come with two side boosters and the main booster. Earlier this month, Elon Musk revealed core Falcon Heavy stage in another video, making all the fans very excited.
Falcon Heavy is this times three. One way or another, launch is guaranteed to be exciting … https://t.co/FPUNALj0Hd
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 25, 2017
If successful, this will be a huge step in the development of SpaceX’s all famous reusable rockets. In fact, the booster shown in the video has already been to space, as it was previously used to launch the Thaicom 8 communications satellite in May 2016. The booster landed back on a drone ship floating in the ocean and now has been revamped to be used again.
SpaceX’s plans don’t end here, as besides the launch of Falcon Heavy, they are also planning multiple Falcon 9 missions in the second half of 2017.
This is in addition to the plans of sending two people on the mission to circumnavigate the moon in 2018 and the ultimate ambitious plan of sending its first robotic mission to Mars around 2020.