SpaceX's Falcon Heavy center core CRASHES into the ocean but two side boosters make it back to Earth in one piece after 'most difficult launch ever'

SpaceX's Falcon Heavy embarked on its 'most difficult mission yet' this morning which saw the centre core dramatically explode as it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. 

After a three hour delay from its originally scheduled launch time of 11:30pm ET Monday night (04:30 BST Tuesday) due to 'additional ground system checkouts' it was pencilled in for a 2:30am ET (07:30 BST) take-off.

An initially textbook launch of the enormous rocket drew gasps and applause from onlookers at the Cape Canaveral, Florida site but 11 minutes in the mission was struck by problems when the centre core failed to land. 

It was meant to touchdown on the drone ship, dubbed 'Of Course I Still Love You', in the Atlantic Ocean but it went up in flames before crashing into the water. 

The two side boosters however, which were being re-used for the second time, had already completed a successful landing at a site in Florida.  

Falcon Heavy is the most powerful operational rocket in the world 'by a factor of two,' SpaceX says. 

The remains of 152 people are onboard the Elon Musk rocket, a move that cost the families of the deceased more than $5,000 (£3,928) back in 2018, and the launch will transport seven grams of their loved one's ashes into space. 

The ashes of the deceased were packed into metal storage capsules and placed aboard one of Falcon Heavy's payload of satellites. 

It has the ability to lift nearly 141,000 pounds (64 metric tons) into orbit - more than a 737 jetliner loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel.

Only the Saturn V moon rocket, last flown in 1973 from the same launch pad, delivered a heavier payload into orbit around the Earth.

After the boosters separated successfully the craft began its six-hour mission to deploy the 24 satellites on-board, which include a deep space atomic clock, a solar sail, clean and green fuel and even human remains. 

The Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program-2 (STP-2) mission, managed by the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), is the first SpaceX mission ordered by the US Air Force.

It is expected to provide data to certify the Falcon Heavy - and reused boosters - for future national security launches.  

SpaceX has experienced previous issues with its centre core landing procedure as an April launch saw it land on its home drone ship, only to topple over while being towed back to shore in choppy seas.

SpaceX has yet to successfully recover the core of a Falcon Heavy intact after a launch.

Speaking during a livestream of the launch, a SpaceX presenter said: 'The center core entry and landing is going to be risky. 

'During entry it will face more heating and dynamic pressure than we have ever experienced on Falcon 9 or Heavy before. 

'Why, you ask? Because we have to lift the second stage higher and faster than ever before in order to have enough performance in it to execute four burns into all the different orbits.'

After the failed landing was shown on the livestream, the co-presenter added: 'It looks like our center core did not make it on our drone ship, "Of Course I Still l Love You", tonight.

'Again, as we've been mentioning, this was the most challenging landing we have had to date and this is our secondary mission.'

The primary mission was to successfully complete the deployment of the on-board satellites.   

WHAT SATELLITES WERE ON BOARD THE FALCON HEAVY LAUNCH?

The Falcon Heavy is carrying satellites for universities, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Planetary Society. 

Six NOAA satellites make up the Cosmic-2 mission, which will monitor the temperature, pressure and moisture of the atmosphere across the tropics.

This data should help meteorologists improve their hurricane and tropical storm modelling.

The rocket is also carrying a deep space atomic clock, a solar sail, clean and green fuel, and even human ashes.  

There is another testing new telescope technologies, and a solar sail project part-funded by the Planetary Society.  

The remains being placed on board the General Atomics Orbital Test Bed, one of 24 satellites Falcon Heavy is carrying.

After the boosters separated safely, the craft began its six-hour mission to deploy the 24 satellites on-board. 

COSMIC-2 

This is a partnership between NOAA, the U.S. Air Force (USAF), NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL).

This six-satellite constellation will provide Global Navigational Satellite System Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO) data. 

This data is collected by measuring the changes in a radio signal as it is refracted in the atmosphere, allowing temperature and moisture to be determined. 

 OCULUS

OTB hosts several payloads for technology demonstration, including the Deep Space Atomic Clock designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

NPSat will investigate space weather and support space situational awareness (SSA).

GPIM

The Green Propellant Infusion Mission, or GPIM, is a NASA mission that develops a 'green' alternative to conventional spacecraft propulsion systems.   

CUBE SATS

E-TBEx: Measures distortion of radio signals travelling through the ionosphere. 

PSAT: Supports global amateur radio data relay capabilities to assist students and researchers around the world

TEPCE: Demonstrates the feasibility of using electrodynamic propulsion by deploying a 1 km electrically conductive tether, performing orbit-changing manoeuvres without consuming any fuel

LightSail 2:The Planetary Society’s citizen-funded solar-sailing spacecraft propelled by the Sun

The firm behind the unique funerary practice, Houston-based Celestis DNA, has been operating its space burial service since 1994 and has helped to launch human and pet animal remains on 15 different spacecraft. 

Each of the metal capsules containing the remains has a sentimental message etched into its side — akin to an engraving on a tombstone.

Among these etchings are phrases including 'Reach for the stars!' and 'Space Truckin' Forever', according to reports in Business Insider.

The family of Star Trek actor James Doohan — who died in 2005 — had some of his remains sent into space with the help of Celestis DNA back in 2008.

HOW DOES THE SATURN V COMPARE TO THE FALCON HEAVY? 

 SpaceX says the Falcon Heavy has the ability to lift into orbit nearly 64 metric tons (141,000 pounds) - more than a 737 jetliner loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel.

A total of 27 Merlin 1D engines power the craft.

Only the Saturn V moon rocket, last flown in 1973 from the same launch pad, delivered more payload to orbit, it says. 

Saturn V however, had a payload of 261,000 pounds (118,000 kg). 

Several famous astronauts and scientists have also had their ashes sent into orbit. 

While the eccentric farewell was once reserved for the wealthy and famous, it has become more affordable in recent years.

This means that space lovers from all walks of life can now have their ashes sent into orbit. 

Today's launch has been dubbed the 'Heritage Flight', with the remains being placed on board the General Atomics Orbital Test Bed, one of 24 satellites Falcon Heavy is carrying. 

Among the deceased being memorialised through the SpaceX flight are NASA astronaut Bill Pogue and two-time all-star Nippon Pro Baseball league player Masaru Tomita.

Biographies of over 120 of the departed travellers can be read on the Celestis website. 

Tonight's launch will mark the third time that the partially-reusable SpaceX Falcon Heavy has travelled into orbit and the rocket's first night-time lift-off.

In February 2018, the rocket sent a Tesla Roadster into orbit around the sun. 

The second mission successfully carried the communications satellite Arabsat 6A into orbit back in April 2019.