SpaceX has successfully launched the Falcon Heavy rocket from pad LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission, designated NROL-97, carried a payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office. This flight marks the 14th successful mission for the heavy-lift vehicle since its debut on February 6, 2018.
The launch utilized two side boosters that had previously flown in the GOES-U, Viasat-3 F3, and Nancy Grace Roman telescope missions. Specifically, these boosters were on their second and fourth flights, respectively. Following stage separation, both boosters performed controlled landings at Landing Zones 1 and 2 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Falcon Heavy consists of three Falcon 9 boosters integrated into a single system, providing increased payload capacity compared to the standard Falcon 9 configuration. To date, the rocket maintains a perfect flight record with no loss of payload across all 14 missions conducted as of October 2026.
