SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, the most powerful rocket in the world, is approaching its first launch in over three years.
rocket, which is expected to generate a staggering 17 million pounds of thrust thanks to 33 next-generation Raptor engines.
For now though, Falcon Heavy is the world's "most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two," SpaceX saysIs Falcon Heavy SpaceX's unsung hero?into a geostationary orbit for the U.S. Space Force. Though the launch date has not been officially announced, it is expected to fly at some point over the coming week or in early November.
. This may be surprising to some considering it's the company's most powerful operational rocket. However, that's likely because it simply hasn't taken to the skies very often when compared with SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 rocket — the company currently breaksTwo Falcon 9 boosters landing side by side after Falcon Heavy's first launch.
, endearingly named Starman. Only eight minutes after the launch of that mission, SpaceX landed two boosters simultaneously for the first time at adjacent landing pads at Cape Canaveral.