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Launch Vehicles
Vehicle family profile

Falcon Heavy

Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.

SpaceXActive
Admin
Variants
1
Canonical variants linked to this family.
Historical missions
12
Missions in the public mission table with actual launch dates.
Peak listed capacity
63,800 kg
Maximum payload capacity across listed variants and orbits.

Launch Cadence

Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.

YearHistorical missionsForecast launches
201810
201920
202210
202350
202420
202613
202703
202804
202905
203006
203106
203206
203305
203405
203505
203605
203705

Performance Specs

Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.

VariantOrbitCapacityAltitudeInclinationSource
Falcon Heavy
LEO63,800 kgUnknownUnknownSpaceX Falcon Heavy vehicle page
Falcon Heavy
LEO57,000 kgUnknownUnknownFalcon Heavy - Wikipedia (Elon Musk public statement, ~10% payload penalty vs 63.8t expendable)

Recent Missions

Latest launched missions using variants in this family.

MissionVariantLaunch
Viasat 3F3
Falcon Heavy
Apr 29, 2026
Europa Clipper Mission
Falcon Heavy
Oct 14, 2024
GOES U
Falcon Heavy
Jun 25, 2024
X-37B OTV FLT-7

Variants

Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.

VariantStagesMissionsStatus
Falcon Heavy
Not stated12Active
203805
203905
204005
204105

Forecast Location Split

2 launch locations represented.

YearLocationLaunchesConfidenceBasis
2026Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)365%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2026Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)050%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2027Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)365%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2027Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)050%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2028Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)365%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2028Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)150%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2029Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)365%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2029Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)250%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2030Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)365%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2030Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)350%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2031Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)365%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2031Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)350%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2032Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)365%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2032Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)350%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2033Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)265%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2033Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)350%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2034Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)265%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2034Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)350%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2035Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)265%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2035Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)350%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2036Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)265%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2036Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)350%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
2037Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)265%Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historica...
2037Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)350%Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/ye...
Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)
2026 · 65% confidence
3

Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historical sporadic cadence a...

Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)
2026 · 50% confidence
0

Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/year.

Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)
2027 · 65% confidence
3

Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historical sporadic cadence a...

Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)
2027 · 50% confidence
0

Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/year.

Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)
2028 · 65% confidence
3

Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historical sporadic cadence a...

Falcon Heavy
LEO30,000 kgUnknownUnknownFalcon Heavy - Wikipedia (Elon Musk public statement, Sept 2017)
Falcon Heavy
GTO26,700 kgUnknown28.5 degSpaceX Falcon Heavy vehicle page
Falcon Heavy
escape16,800 kgUnknownUnknownSpaceX Falcon Heavy vehicle page
Falcon Heavy
GTO16,000 kgUnknownUnknownFalcon Heavy - Wikipedia (citing SpaceX Capabilities & Services spec sheet)
Falcon Heavy
GTO8,000 kgUnknownUnknownFalcon Heavy - Wikipedia (citing SpaceX Capabilities & Services spec sheet)
Falcon Heavy
Dec 29, 2023
Psyche Mission
Falcon Heavy
Oct 13, 2023
Jupiter 3 Mission
Falcon Heavy
Jul 29, 2023
Viasat-3.1
Falcon Heavy
May 1, 2023
USSF-67
Falcon Heavy
Jan 15, 2023

Forecasted Missions

Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.

MissionVariantAnnounced

No forecasted missions

No upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family.

Track
Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)
2028 · 50% confidence
1

Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/year.

Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)
2029 · 65% confidence
3

Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historical sporadic cadence a...

Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)
2029 · 50% confidence
2

Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/year.

Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)
2030 · 65% confidence
3

Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historical sporadic cadence a...

Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)
2030 · 50% confidence
3

Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/year.

Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida)
2031 · 65% confidence
3

Falcon Heavy remains a low-cadence high-energy/national-security vehicle until Starship is fully operational. Base holds at 2-3/year, consistent with historical sporadic cadence a...

Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California)
2031 · 50% confidence
3

Vandenberg SLC-6 authorization permits up to five Falcon Heavy launches/landings per year, but actual polar-heavy demand is likely sparse. Base matures at 3/year.

Mentions
525
All verified mentions of this launch vehicle family in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

The February 2018 Falcon Heavy inaugural launch caused 563 delayed flights and 4,600 cumulative minutes of delays.

GeneralValue 4.0Nov 5, 2019Aviation and launch industries seek common ground on airspace improvements

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries could use a single H3-derived rocket with three first-stage boosters strapped together, analogous to United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy or SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, to launch to the lunar Gateway or deliver landers directly to lunar orbit.

Capability
Page23of27
Plan
Value 2.0
Oct 25, 2019
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries mulls upgraded H3 rocket variants for lunar missions

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy has sufficient performance for Category C missions but requires a long (extended) fairing, which SpaceX is planning to either buy from an outside vendor or develop internally.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Oct 23, 2019For Air Force launch competition, ULA will offer Vulcan and Atlas, but not Delta

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy has been certified for national security missions but was not able to meet the mission-unique requirements for very large NRO satellites needing difficult orbits at the time the launches were acquired in 2016 and 2017.

CapabilityLegalPlanValue 4.0Sep 30, 2019Air Force awards ULA $1.18 billion contract to complete five Delta 4 Heavy NRO missions

SpaceX must demonstrate with the single-core Falcon 9 and the three-core Falcon Heavy that it can meet all mass/orbit combinations required by the Air Force to win a Phase 2 contract.

PlanRelationshipsValue 3.5Sep 21, 2019Air Force certified Falcon Heavy for national security launch but more work needed to meet required orbits

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launched the Defense Department’s Space Test Program-2 mission on 2019-06-25 with 24 satellites.

PlanGeneralValue 4.5Sep 21, 2019Air Force certified Falcon Heavy for national security launch but more work needed to meet required orbits

In February the Air Force selected Falcon Heavy for the AFSPC-44 mission as part of a $297,000,000 contract that also includes two Falcon 9 launches for NRO satellites NROL-85 and NROL-87.

RelationshipsFinancialPlanValue 5.0Sep 21, 2019Air Force certified Falcon Heavy for national security launch but more work needed to meet required orbits

In June 2018 the Air Force awarded SpaceX a $130,000,000 contract to launch the Air Force Space Command-52 (AFSPC-52) satellite aboard Falcon Heavy.

RelationshipsFinancialPlanValue 5.0Sep 21, 2019Air Force certified Falcon Heavy for national security launch but more work needed to meet required orbits

SpaceX’s contract to launch the Astranis satellite followed SpaceX losing a 2021 mission to launch the 1,500-kilogram Ovzon-3 satellite on Falcon Heavy.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 4.3Aug 26, 2019Astranis will share a Falcon 9 for 2020 small GEO launch

On 2019-08-24 Ovzon exited a preliminary agreement to launch its first fully owned satellite on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy after contracting Arianespace for a 2021 launch aboard an Ariane 5.

RelationshipsPlanValue 4.5Aug 24, 2019SpaceX loses Falcon Heavy customer Ovzon to Arianespace

Ovzon announced a Falcon Heavy agreement in October 2018 for the launch of its first fully owned satellite.

RelationshipsPlanValue 4.0Aug 24, 2019SpaceX loses Falcon Heavy customer Ovzon to Arianespace

NASA’s fiscal year 2020 budget request proposed using a commercial launch vehicle such as Delta IV Heavy or Falcon Heavy to launch Europa Clipper to save several hundred million dollars while increasing transit time to about seven years.

FinancialPlanCapabilityValue 4.0Aug 22, 2019Europa Clipper passes key review

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy can loft 26,700 kg to geostationary transfer orbit using three liquid-fueled rocket cores.

CapabilityValue 4.6Aug 21, 2019ULA’s Delta 4 Heavy down to final five missions

SpaceX is developing Crew Dragon and conducting Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches in parallel with development of the Starship next-generation reusable launch vehicle.

PlanCapabilityValue 3.2Aug 20, 2019Commercial crew providers prepare for fall test flights

The STP-2 mission launched on 2019-06-25 on a Falcon Heavy with 24 satellites aboard, including NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration payloads.

PlanCapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Aug 16, 2019Air Force soliciting bids for small, medium satellite launch program

Viasat used its RTE network to provide initial communications, control, and telemetry services to General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems’ Orbital Test Bed satellite after its June launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.

RelationshipsCapabilityPlanValue 4.0Aug 8, 2019Viasat expanding into crowded ground-as-a-service business

LightSail 2 launched as one of the payloads on the Space Test Program 2 (STP-2) mission on 2019-06-25 from Kennedy Space Center on a Falcon Heavy rocket.

PlanValue 4.5Jul 31, 2019Planetary Society declares solar sailing mission a success

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch on 2019-06-25 delivered 24 satellites into four different orbits.

GeneralCapabilityPlanValue 4.0Jul 24, 2019Air Force experimental satellite billed as the ‘largest unmanned structure in space’

DSX was the largest of 24 satellites launched on 2019-06-25 by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

GeneralValue 4.0Jul 24, 2019Air Force experimental satellite billed as the ‘largest unmanned structure in space’

The Orbital Test Bed satellite launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on 2019-06-25.

PlanValue 4.5Jul 22, 2019Viasat’s Real-Time Earth Ground Service Provided Commissioning and Operations Support to General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems’ Orbital Test Bed Satellite