08/31/2026
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Space x Successfully launched Their 13th Falcon Heavy Rocket this morning, their 2nd in 2026
The mission to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, departed Launch Complex 39A, on-time at 7:25 AM Sunday August 30 2026.
Utilizing 3 Falcon 9 Boosters, the two strap-on side boosters, B1072 and B1104 separated from the center core approximately 6 minutes after launch and returned to Earth, with Booster B1072, on its 3rd flight, landed at LZ-2 and booster B1104 on its inaugural flight landed at LZ-40, while the center core Booster B1105 was expended after lifting stage 2 with the payload into orbit.
The Falcon Heavy side booster B1072 landed the launch site at Landing Zone 2 after its 3rd flight, while Booster B1104 landed at LZ-2.
As the boosters landed they produced loud Sonic Booms. This atmospheric phenomenon creates sonic booms as the rocket breaks the sound barrier during its descent.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a NASA infrared space telescope with wide field of view primary mirror and two scientific instruments. The Wide-Field Instrument (WFI) provides a sharpness of images comparable to that achieved by the Hubble Space Telescope however 100 times larger than imaging cameras on the Hubble.
Roman objectives include a search for extra-solar planets
Space X is planning two additional Falcon Heavy Missions this year, The Griffin Mission One in November and a classified USSF-75 Space Force Mission sometime in the Fall.
6 Falcon Heavy launches are planned for 2027.
