Four minutes later, the core booster, having completed its task, shut down its first-stage engines and separated from the rocket’s second stage. The second stage would carry Psyche further toward orbital escape velocity.
Eight minutes after liftoff, the side boosters commenced their landing burns, descending to Earth like precision-guided missiles. They touched down at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2, several miles downrange of Pad 39A, creating four resounding sonic booms that reverberated across the Space Coast.
These side boosters, marking their fourth launch, will undergo refurbishment for future Falcon Heavy missions.
Julianna Scheiman, director of civil satellite missions at SpaceX, expressed enthusiasm for what lies ahead, mentioning upcoming missions like the GOES environmental satellite, Europa Clipper, the Power and Propulsion Element for the Artemis program’s moon-orbiting Gateway space station, and NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, all slated for Falcon Heavy launches soon.
Paves the way for Future Missions
Upon reaching orbit, Psyche underwent a pivotal hour of deploying its massive solar arrays, covering an impressive 800 square feet (75 square meters) in total. When fully extended, these arrays span the length of a tennis court, serving as Psyche’s primary source of power for the mission.
