SpaceX breaks ground at Vandenberg Air Force Base, continues preparation for 2013 Falcon Heavy launch

End of the US space shuttle program got you down ? It doesn’t seem to have phased SpaceX, which is still chipper and chugging right along with plans for its bodacious Falcon Heavy . The company recently broke ground at Complex 4 East at the Vandenberg Air Force Base, which Elon Musk’s baby will call home, later next year. With twice the payload-to-orbit capacity of Boeing and Lockheed’s Delta IV Heavy, and at a third of the cost, the firm hopes its latest will usher in a new era of affordable $100 million launches. If all goes according to plan, the 22-story behemoth will have its inaugural launch in 2013, making it — we’re told — the most powerful US rocket since Saturn V hurtled the Apollo spacecraft towards the moon. Budget-friendly, rocket-boostin’ PR awaits you after the break. Continue reading SpaceX breaks ground at Vandenberg Air Force Base, continues preparation for 2013 Falcon Heavy launch SpaceX breaks ground at Vandenberg Air Force Base, continues preparation for 2013 Falcon Heavy launch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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