- SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon Heavy rocket into space on Tuesday.
- So far, everything has gone according to plan — two of the three boosters landed back in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster is headed toward the Asteroid Belt.
- Here are some of the best photos and moments from the launch.
We have liftoff.
SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy rocket — the company's biggest — into space on Tuesday.
Falcon Heavy left the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 3:45 p.m. ET after some initial delays. The rocket planned to carry Elon Musk's midnight-cherry-red Tesla Roadster out to Mars orbit — though it managed to exceed Mars' orbit and continue on into the Asteroid Belt.
Falcon Heavy's successful liftoff could disrupt the launch industry, as the system's 134-foot-tall boosters can land themselves to be reused. Other rocket boosters on the market today are discarded after launch.
The event was a huge win for Musk and the future of private space exploration. Take a look at the highlights.
Amid cheers from SpaceX employees on the livestream, the rocket took off on a pillar of smoke.
The Falcon Heavy is propelled by 27 engines contained in three boosters — two on the sides and one in the center, under the payload.
The three boosters gave the rocket a lot of power — they're capable of generating more than 5 million pounds of thrust.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider