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{{short description|First successful launch attempt of Falcon Heavy rocket}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox rocket launch
| name       = Falcon Heavy test flight
| image      = Successful Falcon Heavy Launch Today (40090461942).jpg
| upright    = yes
| alt        = 
| caption    = Falcon Heavy launching from [[LC-39A]]
| rocket     = Falcon Heavy
| launch     = {{Start date and age|2018|02|06}}, 20:45 UTC
| operator   = [[SpaceX]]
| pad        = [[Kennedy Space Center|Kennedy]] [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A|LC-39A]]
| payload    = [[Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster]]
| outcome    = Success
| boosters   = [[List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters#Boosters 1023 and 1025|B1023 and B1025]]
| first      = B1033
| succession = [[List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches|Falcon launches]]
| previous   = [[SES-16|F9 flight 48]]
| next       = [[Paz (satellite)#Launch|F9 flight 49]]
|bottom_image=Falcon Heavy test flight.png|bottom_image_caption=Official insignia for the flight|bottom_image_alt=Artistic depiction of a Falcon heavy rocket launching from the Earth, represented in the background by a circular patch.}}

The '''Falcon Heavy test flight''' (also known as the '''Falcon Heavy demonstration mission''') was the first attempt by [[SpaceX]] to launch a [[Falcon Heavy]] rocket on February 6, 2018, at 20:45&nbsp;UTC.<ref name="falconheavypresskit_v1">{{cite web |url=http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/falconheavypresskit_v1.pdf |title=Falcon Heavy Demonstration Press Kit |publisher=[[SpaceX]] |date=February 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206143738/http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/falconheavypresskit_v1.pdf |archive-date=February 6, 2018 }}</ref> The successful test introduced the Falcon Heavy as the most powerful rocket in operation at the time,<ref name=Guardian-2018-02-6>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2018/feb/06/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-elon-musk-live-updates |title=SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch: world's most powerful rocket blasts off – live |first=Alan |last=Yuhas |date=February 6, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206215645/https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2018/feb/06/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-elon-musk-live-updates |archive-date=February 6, 2018 }}</ref> producing {{Convert|5000000|lbf|MN|spell=in}} of [[thrust]] and having more than twice the [[payload]] capacity of the next most powerful rocket, [[United Launch Alliance]]'s [[Delta&nbsp;IV Heavy]].<ref name=Space.com-2018-02-06>{{cite web |url=https://www.space.com/39603-spacex-falcon-heavy-rocket-by-the-numbers.html |title=SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Rocket: By the Numbers |first=Doris Elin |last=Salazar |date=February 6, 2018 |publisher=[[Space.com]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206145556/https://www.space.com/39603-spacex-falcon-heavy-rocket-by-the-numbers.html |archive-date=February 6, 2018 }}</ref>

==Preparation==
In April 2011, SpaceX was planning for a first launch of Falcon Heavy from [[Vandenberg Air Force Base]] on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] in 2013.<ref name=PR-20110815>{{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 }}</ref><ref name=reut20110405>{{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}}</ref> It refurbished Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg AFB to accommodate Falcon 9 and Heavy. The first launch from the [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Canaveral]] [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] launch complex was planned for late 2013 or 2014.<ref name=PR-20110405>{{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 }}</ref>

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,<ref name=sn20150902>{{cite news |last1=Foust |first1=Jeff |title=First Falcon Heavy Launch Scheduled for Spring |url=http://spacenews.com/first-falcon-heavy-launch-scheduled-for-spring/ |access-date=September 3, 2015 |publisher=Space News |date=September 2, 2015}}</ref> 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]].<ref name="Falcon Heavy 2015 Launch">{{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}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=http://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}}</ref>

In August 2016, the demonstration flight was moved to early 2017,<ref name="nsf-20160809">{{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}}</ref> then to summer 2017,<ref name="red dragon 2020">{{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}}</ref> to late 2017<ref>{{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}}</ref> and to January 2018.<ref name="sfn_fh_january">{{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}}</ref>

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:
<blockquote>There's a real good chance the vehicle won't make it to orbit&nbsp;... 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.<ref name=issR&Dconf20170719-36:00>{{cite AV media |people=Elon Musk |date=July 19, 2017 |title=Elon Musk, ISS R&D Conference |medium=video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqvBhhTtUm4?t=852 |access-date=February 5, 2018 |time=36:00–39:50 |location=ISS R&D Conference, Washington DC, USA |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]]}}</ref></blockquote>

Musk went on to say the integration and structural challenges of combining three Falcon 9 cores were much more difficult than expected.<ref name=sdc20170720>{{cite web |url=https://www.space.com/37550-elon-musk-spacex-falcon-heavy-maiden-launch.html |title=SpaceX's Big New Rocket May Crash on 1st Flight, Elon Musk Says |publisher=[[Space.com]] |date=July 20, 2017 |first=Mike |last=Wall}}</ref><ref name=issR&Dconf20170719-36:00 /> The plan was for all three cores to land back on Earth after launch.<ref name='P Plait' />

In December 2017, Musk tweeted that the dummy payload on the maiden Falcon Heavy launch would be [[Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster|his personal midnight cherry Tesla Roadster]] playing David Bowie's "Life on Mars", and that it would be launched into an [[heliocentric orbit|orbit around the Sun]] that will take it as far out as Mars' orbit.<ref name='P Plait'>{{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}}</ref><ref name=sn20171202>{{cite web |url=http://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}}</ref> He released pictures in the following days.<ref>{{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}}</ref> The car has three cameras attached that provided "epic views".<ref name=bbc>{{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}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> However, due to the [[United States federal government shutdown of 2018|U.S. government shutdown]] that began on January 20, the testing and launch were further delayed.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

The static fire test was conducted on January 24, 2018.<ref name="staticfireverge">{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> Musk confirmed via [[Twitter]] that the test "was good" and announced the rocket would be launched in approximately one week.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

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

=== Payload ===
{{main|Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster}}
[[File:Tesla Roadster in Falcon Heavy fairing.jpg|thumb|The payload, Elon Musk's original Roadster, mounted on the payload adapter inside the payload fairing]]
[[File:Tesla Roadster mounted on Falcon Heavy upper stage.png|thumb|upright|The Roadster is permanently attached to the upper stage of the Falcon Heavy rocket. |alt=Illustration of Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster attached to the upper stage of a Falcon rocket, with a driver wearing a white-and-black spacesuit in the driving seat and the Earth visible in the background.]]
The [[Boilerplate (spaceflight)|dummy payload]] for this test flight was a sports car, [[Tesla Roadster (2008)|Tesla Roadster]], owned by [[Elon Musk]]. SpaceX stated that the payload had to be "something fun and without irreplaceable sentimental value".<ref name="falconheavypresskit_v1"/> Sitting in the driver's seat of the Roadster is "Starman", a dummy astronaut clad in a SpaceX spacesuit.<ref name="PopMech-2018-02-05" /> 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 (song)|Starman]]".<ref name="PopMech-2018-02-05" /> The car's sound system was looping the symbolic Bowie songs "[[Space Oddity]]" and "[[Life on Mars?]]".<ref name="wire-2018-02-07">{{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 }}</ref><ref name="out">{{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 }}</ref>

It was launched with sufficient [[Escape velocity|velocity to escape]] the Earth and enter an elliptic [[Heliocentric orbit|orbit around the Sun]] that crosses the orbit of [[Mars]], reaching an [[Perihelion and aphelion|aphelion]] (maximum distance from the Sun) of 1.66&nbsp;[[Astronomical unit|AU]].<ref name="jpl-horizons">{{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}}</ref><ref name="SFN_rearview">{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

This launcher demonstration made the Roadster the first consumer car sent into space.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Three [[Lunar Roving Vehicle]]s were sent to space on the [[Apollo 15]], [[Apollo 16|16]], and [[Apollo 17|17]] missions in the 1970s, and these vehicles were left on the Moon.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> The Roadster is one of two formerly crewed vehicles (albeit not a crewed ''space'' vehicle) derelict in solar orbit, joining [[Apollo Lunar Module#Lunar modules produced|LM-4 ''Snoopy'']], [[Apollo 10]]'s [[Apollo Lunar Module#Ascent stage|lunar module ascent stage]].<ref name="nasa_apollo10">{{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 }}</ref><ref name="disposition">{{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 }}</ref>

Also, included was [[Arch Mission]] 1.2, which is a crystal disk containing Isaac Asimov's [[Foundation series]] of books, on the Tesla Roadster.<ref name="The SpaceX launch included a small library that could orbit the Sun for millions of years">{{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=[[KFSN-TV|ABC 30 Action News]] |date=February 10, 2018 |access-date=February 14, 2018 |last=Clemens |first=Danny|newspaper=Abc30 Fresno }}</ref>

There is a copy of [[Douglas Adams]]' 1979 novel ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (novel)|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' in the glovebox, along with references to the book in the form of a [[Phrases from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy#Knowing where one's towel is|towel]] and a sign on the dashboard that reads "{{smallcaps|[[Phrases from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy#Don't Panic|Don't Panic!]]}}".<ref>{{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"?}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

===Rocket configuration===
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 [[List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters|Falcon 9 first stages]], being reused from the [[Commercial Resupply Services|CRS]]-9 mission in July 2016 and the [[Thaicom 8]] launch in May 2016.<ref>{{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 (website)|Inverse]] |access-date=February 16, 2018 |date=February 6, 2018 |first=Nick |last=Lucchesi}}</ref> 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.<ref name=Space.com-2018-02-06/><ref name="PopMech-2018-02-05">{{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 }}</ref><ref name=TheVerge-2018-02-06>{{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 }}</ref>

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 fin]]s made of titanium, to help guide the atmospheric descent accurately.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Falcon Heavy also supports the launch of [[SpaceX Dragon|Dragon capsules]] without a fairing.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width: 100%;"
|+Falcon Heavy stages<ref name=sfn_log>{{cite web |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/launchlog.html |title=Launch Log |work=Spaceflight Now |date=March 17, 2017 |access-date=January 7, 2018}}</ref>
! Stage
! Booster{{efn|Bold entries are core boosters presumed available as '''active fleet''': those which have not been expended, destroyed or officially retired.}}<ref name=f9stglog>{{cite web |url=http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon9ft.html#f9stglog |title=SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.2 Data Sheet |first=Ed |last=Kyle |website=Space Launch Report|date=March 25, 2023 }}</ref>
! Version{{efn|Entries with colored background and ♺ symbol denote flights using refurbished boosters from previous flights.}}
! data-sort-type="text" | [[List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches|Previous flight No.]]
! Previous launch
! Turnaround time
! Previous payload
! Landing outcome
! Status<ref name=reddit-cores>{{cite web |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/wiki/cores |title=Table of Falcon 9 Cores |work=[[Reddit]] |access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref>
|-
| 1st (side)
| [[B1023]].2 ♺
| [[Falcon 9 Full Thrust|Full Thrust]]
| {{nobr|[[List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches (2010-2019)#F9-025|F9-025]] }}
| {{dts|May 27, 2016}}
| {{time interval|2016-05-27|2018-02-06|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
| [[Thaicom 8]]<ref name="NSF-2017-04-13">{{cite news |title=Falcon Heavy build up begins; SLC-40 pad rebuild progressing well |first=Chris |last=Gebhardt |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/04/falcon-heavy-build-up-slc-40-pad-rebuild-progressing/ |work=[[NASASpaceFlight.com]] |date=April 12, 2017 |access-date=November 5, 2017}}</ref>
| {{Success}}
| Retired<ref name="FH_theverge">{{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]] |first=Sean |last=O'Kane |date=February 7, 2018 |access-date=February 7, 2018}}</ref>

|-
| 1st (core)
| B1033.1
| [[Falcon Heavy|Heavy]]&nbsp;core
| {{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
| {{Failure}}
| Destroyed<ref>{{cite web |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 |publisher=[[Space.com]] |first=Tariq |last=Malik |date=February 14, 2018}}</ref>

|-
| 1st (side)
| B1025.2 ♺
| [[Falcon 9 Full Thrust|Full Thrust]]
| [[List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches (2010-2019)#F9-027|F9-027]]
| {{dts|July 18, 2016}}
| {{time interval|2016-07-16|2018-02-06|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
| data-sort-value="Dragon CRS-09" | [[SpaceX Dragon|Dragon]] [[SpaceX CRS-9|CRS-9]]<ref name="NSF-2017-11-11">{{cite news |title=SpaceX static fires Zuma Falcon 9; engine test anomaly no issue for manifest |first=Chris |last=Gebhardt |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/spacex-static-fire-zuma-falcon-9-engine-no-issue-manifest/ |work=[[NASASpaceFlight.com]] |date=November 11, 2017 |access-date=November 18, 2017}}</ref>
| {{Success}}
| Retired<ref name="FH_theverge" />

|-
| 2nd (upper)
| {{n/a}}
| [[Falcon 9 Full Thrust|FT Vacuum Stage]]
| {{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
| {{n/a|escape orbit}}
| Heliocentric orbit
|}

=== Objectives ===
[[File:Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster (40110304192).jpg|thumb|Last transmitted view en route away from Earth]]
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.<ref name=nasaspaceflight>{{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]]}}</ref>

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 and aphelion|perihelion]] at the level of Earth's orbit),<ref name="yahoo-tesla-missed-mars">{{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 }}</ref> but did not test or demonstrate the separation of the second stage and a payload.

==Flight timeline==
{{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.<ref name=spaceflightnow_FH_livefeed>{{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 }}</ref> Because two of the three engines necessary to land were unable to reignite, the booster hit the water at 500 kilometres per hour, 100 metres away from the drone ship.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="Musk, Twitter, Overshot mars" /><ref>{{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 }}</ref>

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.<ref name="space_com_centralcore"/>

The mission timeline was (all times approximate):<ref name="falconheavypresskit_v1"/>
{| class="wikitable collapsible"
|-
! Start Time
! End Time
! Event
|-
| T−01:28:00
|
| {{Success|[[Go/no go]] for propellant load}}
|-
| T−01:25:00
|
| {{Success|RP-1 kerosene loading underway}}
|-
| T−00:45:00
|
| {{Success|Liquid-oxygen loading underway}}
|-
| T−00:07:00
|
| {{Success|Start of engine chill}}
|-
| T−00:01:00
|
| {{Success|Start of pre-launch checks}}
|-
| T−00:01:00
|
| {{Success|Propellant-tank flight pressurisation}}
|-
| T−00:00:45
|
| {{Success|[[Go/no go]] for launch}}
|-
| T−00:00:05
|
| {{Success|Side boosters start}}
|-
| T−00:00:03
|
| {{Success|Center booster starts}}
|-
| T−00:00:00
|
| {{Success|[[Takeoff|Liftoff]]}}
|-
| T+00:00:40
|
| {{Success|Side boosters throttled down}}
|-
| T+00:01:06
|
| {{Success|''[[Max Q|Max-Q]]'' (moment of peak mechanical stress on rocket)}}
|-
| ~T+00:01:10
|
| {{Success|Side boosters throttled up}}
|-
| ~T+00:02:10
|
| {{Success|Side boosters throttled down again}}
|-
| T+00:02:29
|
| {{Success|Booster engines cutoff (BECO)}}
|-
| T+00:02:33
|
| {{Success|Side cores separate from center core}}
|-
| T+00:02:50
|
| {{Success|Side cores begin boostback burn}}
|-
| T+00:03:04
|
| {{Success|Center core engine shutdown/main engine cutoff (MECO)}}
|-
| T+00:03:07
|
| {{Success|Center core and 2nd stage separates}}
|-
| T+00:03:15
|
| {{Success|2nd stage engine starts}}
|-
| T+00:03:24
|
| {{Success|Center core begins boostback burn}}
|-
| T+00:03:49
|
| {{Success|Fairing deployment}}
|-
| T+00:06:41
|
| {{Success|Side cores begins entry burn}}
|-
| T+00:06:47
|
| {{Success|Center core begins entry burn}}
|-
| T+00:07:58
|
| {{Success|Side cores landing}}
|-
| T+00:08:19
|
| {{Failure|Center core landing}}
|-
| T+00:08:31
|
| {{Success|2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO)}}
|-
| T+00:28:22
| T+00:28:52
| {{Success|2nd stage engine restarts}}
|-
| T+00:28:52
| T+06:00:00
| {{Success|6 hour experiment on [[Van Allen radiation belt]]s}}
|-
| T+06:00:00
|
| {{Success|2nd stage engine restarts for a third time}}
|}

In the above table, events are color coded.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| {{Failure|This event was a failure}}

|-
| {{Success|This event was a success}}
|}

== Outcome ==

===Launch===
[[File:Falcon Heavy Demo Mission (40126461851).jpg|thumb|Launch from Kennedy Space Center]]
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).<ref>{{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}}</ref> Valuable telemetry data on the performance of the launch system and its components were obtained for all stages of the test flight.

===Boosters===
[[File:Falcon Heavy Side Boosters landing on LZ1 and LZ2 - 2018 (25254688767).jpg|thumb|The two boosters landing at LZ-1 and LZ-2 at Cape Canaveral]]
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 fin]]s, however, those were reused on future flights.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

===Central core===
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 [[triethylaluminum]]-[[triethylborane]] (TEA-TEB) igniter fluid.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name="space_com_centralcore">{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

===Final stage===
[[File:Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster (40143096241).jpg|thumb|"Starman" seated in the Roadster over [[Australia]]|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 [[Boilerplate (spaceflight)|dummy payload]] in a [[heliocentric orbit]], with an aphelion of 1.66&nbsp;AU,<ref name="BGrayElements">{{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 }}</ref> beyond [[Mars]]. The payload has an orbital period of 1.53&nbsp;years. The first four hours of the flight were streamed live on [[YouTube]].<ref name="Musk, Twitter, Overshot mars" /> 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.<ref>{{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]]}}</ref> Batteries were expected to last about 12 hours.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name="rein-et-al-20180218">{{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 }}</ref>

== Reactions ==
[[File:Falcon Heavy maiden launch viewing party.jpg|thumb|Viewing party watching the Falcon Heavy maiden launch stream]]
The test flight was a [[Viral video|viral]] event, attracting extensive news coverage and media attention worldwide,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harwood |first=William |date=2018-02-06 |title=Rocket launch today: SpaceX Falcon Heavy puts on spectacular show in maiden flight - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-spectacular-maiden-flight/ |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=SpaceX Launches The Falcon Heavy Rocket & Why It's Such A Big Deal For Elon Musk {{!}} TIME | date=February 6, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOHsWf2xSa4 |access-date=2024-03-21 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-07 |title='De jongens van SpaceX zijn de cowboys van de ruimte' |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}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{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}}</ref> and becoming a subject of many [[Internet meme|Internet memes]] and [[Parody|parodies]].<ref>{{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 }}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>jschlatt. {{Citation |title=elon r u ok | date=February 6, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8uyilHatBA |access-date=2024-03-21 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=YouTube Rewind 2018: Everyone Controls Rewind {{!}} #YouTubeRewind | date=December 6, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJOTdZBX1g |access-date=2024-03-21 |language=en}}</ref> With over 2.3 million viewers seeing the launch live, the webcast of the Falcon Heavy test flight<ref>{{Citation |title=Falcon Heavy Test Flight | date=February 6, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbSwFU6tY1c |access-date=2024-03-21 |language=en}}</ref> was at the time the second most watched livestream ever on YouTube.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Approximately 100,000 people watched the launch from Cape Canaveral.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

This launch won both the [[SpaceNews]]'s Award and Readers' Choice's Award of Breakthrough of the Year in 2018,<ref>{{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}}</ref> and inspired technology enthusiasts<ref>Donut Media (February 25, 2018). {{Citation |title=We Tried to Launch a Tesla to Space Too | date=February 25, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2szjw6ZpJ4w |access-date=2024-03-21 |language=en}}</ref> and start-ups<ref>{{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}}</ref> to pay tribute to the Falcon Heavy and its payload.

[[U.S. President]] [[Donald Trump]] tweeted:<ref>{{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}}</ref> {{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.<ref>{{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 (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}}</ref> The chairman of the [[ISRO|Indian Space Research Organisation]], K. Sivan, congratulated Musk and called the launch "a [[Quantum leap (physics)|quantum]] [[One giant leap for mankind|leap]] in space technology".<ref name=":0" />

Later, Elon Musk released a video highlighting the flight, and thanking fans.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

{{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.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=elonmusk |number=972628124893671432 |title=Why Falcon Heavy & Starman? ... |last=Musk |first=Elon |author-link=Elon Musk |date=March 10, 2018}}</ref>}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery class="center" mode="packed">
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
</gallery>

== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

== See also ==

* [[SpaceX Starship orbital test flight]]
* [[Timeline of private spaceflight]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="Musk, Twitter, Overshot mars">{{cite twitter |last=Musk |first=Elon |user=ElonMusk |title=Third burn successful |number=961083704230674438 |date=February 6, 2018}}</ref>

}}

== External links ==
{{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 &mdash; 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)

[[Category:2018 in Florida]]
[[Category:2018 in spaceflight]]
[[Category:Falcon Heavy]]
[[Category:February 2018 events in the United States]]
[[Category:Test spaceflights]]
[[Category:Rocket launches in 2018]]

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Cyrillic: А а Б б В в Г г Ґ ґ Ѓ ѓ Д д Ђ ђ Е е Ё ё Є є Ж ж З з Ѕ ѕ И и І і Ї ї Й й Ј ј К к Ќ ќ Л л Љ љ М м Н н Њ њ О о П п Р р С с Т т Ћ ћ У у Ў ў Ф ф Х х Ц ц Ч ч Џ џ Ш ш Щ щ Ъ ъ Ы ы Ь ь Э э Ю ю Я я ́
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