First flight since 2019
The launch marked the fourth flight of the Falcon Heavy since debuting in 2018 and its first in three years. The powerful rocket doesn’t get used very often, as satellite operators don’t usually need to deliver satellites past low Earth orbit and because of the excessive launch costs. Development delays with payloads are another reason for the gap in launches, including this one. That said, Falcon Heavy is about to get busy, with a dozen missions planned in the next year.
