Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 3 |
| 2027 | 0 | 3 |
| 2028 | 0 | 4 |
| 2029 | 0 | 5 |
| 2030 | 0 | 6 |
| 2031 | 0 | 6 |
| 2032 | 0 | 6 |
| 2033 | 0 | 5 |
| 2034 | 0 | 5 |
| 2035 | 0 | 5 |
| 2036 | 0 | 5 |
| 2037 | 0 | 5 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcon Heavy | LEO | 63,800 kg | Unknown | Unknown | SpaceX Falcon Heavy vehicle page |
Falcon Heavy | LEO | 57,000 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Falcon Heavy - Wikipedia (Elon Musk public statement, ~10% payload penalty vs 63.8t expendable) |
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Falcon Heavy | Not stated | 12 | Active |
| 2038 | 0 | 5 |
| 2039 | 0 | 5 |
| 2040 | 0 | 5 |
| 2041 | 0 | 5 |
2 launch locations represented.
| Year | Location | Launches | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 3 | 65% | 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... |
| 2026 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 0 | 50% | 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... |
| 2027 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 3 | 65% | 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... |
| 2027 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 0 | 50% | 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... |
| 2028 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 3 | 65% | 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... |
| 2028 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 1 | 50% | 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... |
| 2029 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 3 | 65% | 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... |
| 2029 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 2 | 50% | 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... |
| 2030 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 3 | 65% | 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... |
| 2030 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 3 | 50% | 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... |
| 2031 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 3 | 65% | 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... |
| 2031 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 3 | 50% | 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... |
| 2032 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 3 | 65% | 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... |
| 2032 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 3 | 50% | 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... |
| 2033 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 2 | 65% | 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... |
| 2033 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 3 | 50% | 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... |
| 2034 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 2 | 65% | 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... |
| 2034 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 3 | 50% | 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... |
| 2035 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 2 | 65% | 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... |
| 2035 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 3 | 50% | 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... |
| 2036 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 2 | 65% | 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... |
| 2036 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 3 | 50% | 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... |
| 2037 | Launch Complex 39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida (NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida) | 2 | 65% | 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... |
| 2037 | Space Launch Complex 6, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 3 | 50% | 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... |
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...
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.
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...
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.
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 | LEO | 30,000 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Falcon Heavy - Wikipedia (Elon Musk public statement, Sept 2017) |
Falcon Heavy | GTO | 26,700 kg | Unknown | 28.5 deg | SpaceX Falcon Heavy vehicle page |
Falcon Heavy | escape | 16,800 kg | Unknown | Unknown | SpaceX Falcon Heavy vehicle page |
Falcon Heavy | GTO | 16,000 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Falcon Heavy - Wikipedia (citing SpaceX Capabilities & Services spec sheet) |
Falcon Heavy | GTO | 8,000 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Falcon 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 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
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.
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...
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.
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...
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.
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...
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.
NASA’s Europa Clipper mission has a three-week launch window that opens on 2024-10-10 and requires Launch Complex 39A to support a Falcon Heavy launch.
NASA's SLS Block 1 can lift 95,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, while SpaceX's Falcon Heavy can lift up to 63,800 kilograms.
A Falcon Heavy flight with expended center stage and recovered side boosters would cost about $100-125 million.
The Falcon Heavy can deliver a payload capacity of 54 tons to Low Earth Orbit.
The upper stages of Falcon Heavy would require longer tanks to carry additional propellant.
Europa Clipper is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy during a three-week window that opens 2024-10-10.
The Europa Clipper mission will use a Falcon Heavy rocket that has an upper stage similar to the Falcon 9 second stage and has a three-week launch window opening on 2024-10-10.
The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane began its seventh mission on 2023-12-28 and that mission launched on a Falcon Heavy into a higher-altitude, highly elliptical, high-inclination orbit than previous missions.
SpaceX performed 96 launches of its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets in 2023.
SpaceX offers custom trajectory optimization for customers buying the full performance of a Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy and provides payload matchmaking services to pair complementary customers for shared launches.
Jupiter-3 entered service on 2023-12-19, five months after launching on a Falcon Heavy.
The Space Force launched the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on a Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time in December 2023.
Arcturus is a 400-kilogram, dishwasher-sized satellite launched on 2024-04-30 as a secondary payload on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
Tom Mueller was a founding member of SpaceX and helped design the Merlin rocket engine that powers Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles.
SpaceX is building a Starship launch pad at Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A adjacent to the existing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy pad.
The Psyche spacecraft launched on 2023-10-13 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy can throw about 16,800 kilograms into trans-Mars injection.
If the same ratio applied, the Falcon Heavy could potentially carry about 2,000 helicopters to Mars.
The U.S. Space Force X-37B spaceplane launched on its seventh mission on 2023-12-28 on a Falcon Heavy for the first time.
HALO will launch together with the Maxar-built Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) on a Falcon Heavy rocket.