On Tuesday the 6th of February, the new Falcon Heavy rocket will be launched by SpaceX. SpaceX is a private space exploration company founded by billionaire Elon Musk.
On this flight, SpaceX founder Elon Musk sent his red Tesla Roaster with Starman, a mannequin in space-suit, into space! Elon Musk’s private car was sent into an endless orbit around the Sun.
“A friend of mine suggested, ‘Hey, why don’t you put that Hot Wheels Roadster with a tiny spaceman in the car too?’ Like, ‘that’d be cool. Sure.’ So we did that.”
The Falcon Heavy rocket will be the most powerful rocket on earth. The rocket will be able to deliver heavy satellites into orbit. It can also carry large equipment to the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX plans to make a mission to the Moon. The rocket would even be capable to travel to Mars.
SpaceX launched the first private spacecraft to the ISS in 2012. The company is also well known for its landings of their rocket boosters.
Ambitious goals
SpaceX has other big future goals ahead for the next years. It intends to send two private citizens, not astronauts, on a flight around the Moon next year. They plan to fly to Mars within the next five to ten years.
source: SpaceX