Three Falcon 9 rockets – each powered by nine Merlin engines – give the Falcon Heavy vehicle the power of 27 Merlin engines for liftoff. Each of these 27 engines provides 190,000 pounds of thrust. According to SpaceX, this force provides a total of five million pounds of thrust.
SpaceX says the Falcon Heavy can carry all its fuel, cargo, passengers and into orbit at a weight comparable to that of a 737 jetliner.
SpaceX will recover two supporting Falcon 9 boosters. Following the practice of previous flights, both boosters will land at the Cape Canaveral landing site – giving a double sonic boom. If SpaceX continues the practice of past Falcon Heavy flights, the core Falcon 9 will break up in the ocean after completing its mission.
