24 June 2018, India:
SpaceX has won $130 million contract launch a classified military satellite for the US Air Force using the Falcon Heavy.
“SpaceX is honored by the Air Force’s selection of Falcon Heavy to launch the competitively-awarded AFSPC-52 mission. I want to thank the Air Force for certifying Falcon Heavy, awarding us this critically important mission, and for their trust and confidence in our company. SpaceX is pleased to continue offering the American taxpayer the most cost-effective, reliable launch services for vital national security space missions,” said SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell.
SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell told CNN Money in a statement, “SpaceX is honored by the Air Force’s selection of Falcon Heavy to launch the competitively-awarded AFSPC-52 mission. SpaceX is pleased to continue offering the American taxpayer the most cost-effective, reliable launch services for vital national security space missionS.”
Two extra Falcon Heavy launches are scheduled to take place before the end of the year. The primary being an assortment of over two dozen smaller satellites, and the second for a commercial satellite.
Falcon Heavy has the ability to lift into orbit nearly 64 metric tons (141,000 lb)—a mass greater than a 737 jetliner loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel-Falcon Heavy draws upon the proven heritage and reliability of Falcon 9. It has three cores, or first-stage boosters, that work in unison to get the rocket into a low Earth orbit.
(Image – SpaceX)
