SpaceX Unveils its New 'Falcon Heavy' Rocket, a 22-Story Heavy-Lift Behemoth

This is the future of space..private industry. This is a good thing...the only thing governments do in space is militarize it.

P.S No need to lie to us about NASA going to the moon, everyone knows it's a lie.

Go back into the woodwork there, Buzz.

@aldrons last hope...wow, been awhile since i saw something that intelligent written followed by something so incredibly unintelligent, bravo

oops, *intelligently written...privatization of earth orbit is the way of the future and about time...great news

Im With Aldrons Last Hope. Moon landing was fake. Put it this way we landed on a moon with technology that is less then that of an iPhone. Think about it, we want to check for water on the moon but have no way to do so other then blow an area of it up and hope a robot collects the dust... If we landed there back then why not send up a crew with todays technology to have a mission there and be able to go back and forth between the space station. We have not visited the moon in all these years because we clearly cant.

noooo! the troll's are multiplying.

Now we can finally build a cheap Bio-Dome on the moon!

@splus03...f*ck off

whoa, offended?

It is neat that the space race is going private. I'd hopefully look to see a greater push towards non-research related flights.

I won't comment on weather or not we ever made it too the moon... can't prove a negative and all that... I hope we did what with all that ongoing research on lunar rock samples and the mirror that the astronauts (allegedly) left behind BUT...

I will point out that it is rather expensive... to travel to the moon... and is only done for more or less compelling reasons.

We'll be going again soon enough and for military reasons which is a good thing because...

If we don't "they" (Insert your favorite evil empire, dictator, country, mother-in-law... what have you.) will.

One side of the gun is better than the other and it is not enough to be intellectual... one has to live in the real world of human motives and aspirations... not all of which are motivated by cooperation.

My favorite part about Aldrons hilarious comment is the part where EVERYONE knows moon landing was a lie. You know, because conspiracy theorists do not believe reality exists outside of abovetopsecret.com

Can we leave all the stupid people on an asteroid and hurdle them into the sun?

The ignorance of people when it comes to the subject of Science and Space makes me sad. I hope this problem gets fixed in my lifetime. Putting that aside, I'm very happy to hear the private industry is moving forward.

The moon landing was not a fake, and Myth Busters proved it. Each of the moon missions left a device that looks like a bicycle reflector on the lunar surface. Any organization with the right kind of laser and telescope can reflect a laser beam off the lunar reflector and measure the returning beam. The main purpose of this was to allow for very precise measurements of the moon's orbit, but it also proves beyond a reasonable doubt that a man made object safely landed on the moon exactly were NASA said they landed.

Why we have not returned to the moon is not an issue of technology, it is a matter of political will and infrastructure. Most of the infrastructure used for Apollo has been lost time. Yes most of the building are still there, but the people who made it happen are gone alone with their undocumented knowledge and skills. When we do return to the moon, there are a lot of things that will need to be rebuilt, and a lot of skills relearned. Before that happens we need the political will and a boat load of money (both of which are short supply right now).

The mission that Splus03 is referring to used a spent boaster to create a debris plum that could be scanned for water ice. This was a bonus/free bee not the main mission. We could have landed a probe in that area to look for water, but that would be a mission unto its self and would cost a lot of money-there are still a few folks at NASA that know what they are doing.

Not, Ares V Colonial Class but will do for LEO and one off Asteroid mission. If you can't lift 200MW Nuclear reactor for Ad Astra Rocket Company's VASIMR plasma rocket NO MOON BASE, NO MARS.

Great news, it is about time we have a good heavy lift rocket available. With that being said the Saturn V had twice the capacity, 220,000 lbs as Falcon heavy lift is 117,000 lbs to low earth orbit. We already have a heavy lift capable rocket system that we are mothballing, Space Shuttle External tanks and the solid rocket boosters have the capacity to lift over 200,000 lbs into low earth orbit if modified without the Space Shuttle. Remember the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters are recyclable. Will Space-X recycle their booster, by the cost estimate Space-X gives to launch the new heavy lift rockets, it seems that they will be reused? Of course there is the Ares IV and Ares V but those seem to be on the chopping block, NASA seems to have given up on developing them.

Another thought is a new extra-heavy Lift Delta IV in the works???

"Possible future upgrades for the Delta IV include adding extra strap-on solid motors to boost capacity, higher-thrust main engines, lighter materials, higher-thrust second stages, more (up to six) strap-on CBCs, and a cryogenic propellant cross feed from strap on boosters to the common core. These modifications could potentially increase the mass of the payload delivered to LEO to 100 tonnes.

The possibility of an extra-heavy variant was indicated in a 2006 RAND Corporation study of national security launch requirements out to 2020,[16] which noted, "...only the Delta IV Heavy has the performance to lift the ten NSS launch requirements that require a heavy-lift capability... the production capacity for Delta IV, with one possible exception, can satisfy the entire projected NSS launch demand. The exception involves the requirement to increase the Delta IV Heavy lift capability to accommodate a single NRO (National Reconnaissance Office) payload. The best solution to this requirement is currently under study."

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_4_​rocket

If they can keep the cost down as low as they claim then the new Falcon heavy-lift will be a game changer???

Ron Bennett

this is great news. glad to hear the private space industry is really taking off (no pun intedned. really). trying to ignore the "moon trolls" in the above comments. I had a chance to stand next to a old Saturn V rocket laying on its side. It is awe inspiring. I stood in front of just one of the its rocket booster noozles and was in awe thinking it shooting off from Earth. I think it at the Huntsville space and rocket center. that is where I fell in love with the sr-71 too.

@Aldrons last hope
HOw dumb do you have to be to believe the landing was faked honestly dude.
@rib
good point

Just watch "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon" totally proves my point.

If man could go to the moon the Russians would have done it first. But the Russians couldn't and neither can the U.S...even up to this day.

We can't make it past the Van Allen radiation belts yet :-(

Mythbusters proved they are shills...was that supposed to be objective?? They were wearing Nassa suits and kissing nassa's ass the whole time for a trip on the zero-g plane..LMAO

I think private industry will solve this problem

For all those who think the Lunar landing was faked, consider this:
There were literally over a thousand individuals involved with the Apollo missions. Thats is a lot of people that had inside info and had to be kept silent.

Also, the government apparantly wasn't happy with faking the landing once, so they did it 5 freakin times!

Grow up already.

drchuck1 Yo buddy if you dont like the truth then bend on over and su_ck my D1ck we all know you like a fat one in your mouth. Sad that your only response was to tell me to F off, did i hurt your feelings that your child hood memory of the space take off was a lie that you thought was true your whole life? Grow up

Watch the documentary "A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Moon"

Thousands of people don't have to be involved...only the top of the pyramid.

There is a rover on Mars....how did it get there? We must have been to Mars as well!...NO the reflector on the moon was placed there via probe....the russians have one up there two.

Do you not find it a bit odd that in 1969 we went to the moon five times and 42 years later EVERY SINGLE MANNED NASA mission has not even APPROACHED the Van Allen radiation belts.

I wanted to desperately beleive we could visit or even colonize other planets...maybe one day we will, but as for now NO..we can't..live with it.

Give it up people. The kid watched a documentary! You think decades of science and proof holds a candle to that movie? That shows you guys have never watched a documentary!

It says it can take up to 117,000 pounds of cargo, but is it safe for human travel? Also, have there been any private shuttles for long-range human travel announced/released yet? (I recall Virgin had one for orbital uses) I'm pretty sure that since NASA is looking for private cargo rockets, they must also be invested in shuttles specifically for human flight.

Check out my tech blog at regiz.blogspot.com !

Aldrons,

"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon" has been complete debunked many times. You should research the topic in more depth. I suggest starting with the wikipedia article "Third-party evidence for Apollo Moon landings". There are 41 references that you can look up. Some of these contain photos taken my more resent mission that show the Apollo decent craft, rover, flag, and even foot prints.

There is plenty of evidence that Apollo did happen, and zero evidence that it didn't that can not be debunked. Stop chasing shadows and except the truth.

I never go to wikipedia...anyone can update their info..that's not a source.

I don't think it was debunked...not the part where they show the crew 2 days into the mission and they were still orbiting earth..that's pretty telling.

Don't forget NASA was founded by friggin nazi's

Besides that, it just looks fake...so so FAKE.

I hope one day the privatization of space solves this problem...but until I see a pic of someone in 2011 and beyond walking around on the moon in full 1080p...and it's not a government shill...man never walked on the moon.

For those interested, since Aldrons Last Hope has failed to do so, here are some sources of information to offer an explanation to his ... ill-informative... comments.

Van Allen Radiation Belt(s)

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Van_Allen_radiation_belt#cite_note-intro-2

Moving on if, like Aldrons Last Hope has declared and, Humans cannot brave the radiation from the Van Allen Belt(s), then I ask you to take into consideration the International Space Station and the South Atlantic Anomaly.
(please note the height of orbit in the ISS and the height of the SAA)

South Atlantic Anomaly
www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/q525.html

International Space Station
www.challenger.org/programs/iss/iss.cfm

Lastly, an interesting article on the Van Allen Belts vs the Apollo missions
www.wwheaton.com/waw/mad/mad19.html

Since I'm done feeding the troll (while also providing source information for you all to view on your own)

While I agree with rib on the fact that we have several rockets with a higher payload capacity, from a business prospective it may be cheaper to pay for this Falcon Heavy. If it costs $275 million to launch 1 Saturn V carrying 220,000 lbs, and $250 million to launch 2 Falcon Heavy, totaling 234,000 lbs then that's a savings of $25 million. Just a thought.

Upon re-reading my post, I did find a discrepancy that I wish to repair.

"If it costs $275 million to launch 1 Saturn V carrying 220,000 lbs..."

I realize that in the early part of the article it says the Delta IV can launch 50,000 lbs for $275 million. I only referred to the Saturn V, because of the cost to weight ratio. For a more informative view on the costs of Heavy Lift Flights, check out.

www.thespacereview.com/article/146/1

Thanks. Have a great day! =)

@splus03...apologies...i was a bit tired and sick of silly statements on these blogs by totally ignorant individuals, your comment fits the bill and really, me grow up, being just a little hypocritical

Wow, so many trolls on this page you'd think you were in a fantasy movie or something, lol...

@aldrons last hope if the United States didnt go to the moon like you suggest and so many people were in on it don't you think the USSR would have had called fowl. We went to the moon didn't see anything worth keeping and came home hahaha 1080p wait so you would watch it on tv? what a sheep. You sir are duly misinformed.

et. al. , You folks are so gullible. aldron is just baiting you to get a rise. No literate person could possibly be so stupid as to believe the things he's been saying. If he can read, he can think and if he can think, he couldn't possibly disbelieve the preponderance of evidence contrary to his statements. (Sorry for the big words aldron)

It's amazing what some nut-job conspiracy theorists can come up with and by the way, @Aldron, anyone can make a documentary and put it up on youtube or anywhere. It doesn't have to be fact checked, and shouldn't be called a documentary, but a comedy or fantasy. I suggest you take a look at
blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/02/15/moon-hoax-10/
although, I don't believe that this will change your mind since most of you conspiracy theorists are outcast mental patients anyways. Good luck with your skewed sense of reality! We'll see where that gets you.

@emneuman...what big words "preponderance"...is that a big word to you? (rhetorical question)

@fox17528 sounds like sour grapes to me..."nothing worth keeping" stupidest comment i've read so far.

@jaygot Well it has gotten me very far actually...just because you are unhappy with your life don't project your insecurities on me, not trying to brag or anything...but it's those that think outside the box that get ahead in life...but you go ahead and conform, it's probably your best hope...haha

NASA never went to the moon, black and white movies shot on a sound stage in the desert is not proof.

OH I FORGOT...the van allen belts extend 5000 miles from the surface...the ISS orbits at 100 miles...and the astronauts still feel the effects of the radiation...can your mind imagine what would happen if they were to penetrate the belts to say the 2000 mile mark?

Okay just do some simple math, figure out how much water would be needed for that 6 day mission...for consumption, and for cooling of the craft and the suits...now look at their capsule....where did they put all that water...my god are you than obtuse?

@Aldron I get paid to think outside of the box, and I do not doubt that you are creative, as shown by your colorful imagination and delusional tendencies. Clearly, your insecurities and drive you to comment on every article in PopSci with your "opinions".

They could write an article about how the sky is blue and you would find a way to argue that that is just what the institution has told you, like none of us have the ability and experimental knowledge to go out and prove it for ourselves.

It's ok though, we're both just wasting our time.

@jaygott Insecurities is not what drives me to post, just getting my thoughts out there...better than sayin "I want one"...which seems to be a trend around here...a bunch of spoiled brats crying for more toys.

The sky seems blue to you becuase that's the spectrum of light you see...but to a dog the sky is grey and to an infared camera the sky changes colours in relation to what time of day it is.

I get paid for my analytical skills. I am versed in the scientific method...again your insecurites drive you to insult people and ideas you cannot comprehend. Try openig up your mind.

you might be wasting your time, but I know I have already woken at least one person up. Killing time maybe..but I don't waste it.

Aldron said: "I get paid for my analytical skills."

I hope your company thinks they are getting their money's worth.

Now, where are the trolls who:
- put forth the proposition that the Earth is actually flat;
- believe Majestic-12 were responsible for the JFK assassination;
- have seen evidence of Nazi flying-saucers operating from secret bases in Antarctica;
- are thinking that Dec 21, 2012 is not just a time to buy the next Mayan Calendar at the local newsagents; and,
- likes horses.

I have a clipboard, and I am hoping to tick all the boxes.

I will echo the more salient/sane points on this thread by expressing my pleasure at the leaps and bounds made by the private sector in the space industry. Will it reap all the kind of rewards promised to us in science fiction in our life-times? Maybe not. Will it ensure some golden hand-shakes for some innovative CEOs? Most likely. Will it finance this century's space golden age? Absolutely.

These are exciting times.

I'd really like to think that other cost cutting systems like superguns for certain kinds of mass will finally be developed and utilized, but I don't know how to see that future, considering that it's never been given real support before. The previous projects were hamstrung before they ever got started. It just seems to me that we'd benefit greatly from having the capability of boosting construction supplies and food, water, and other non-human mass rather than like now, with one system getting backing; and it has to be man-rated whether or not the lift actually demands that huge overhead.