Watch: An excited Elon Musk reacts moments before SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launch
Space-X intends to build a more powerful rocket than Falcon Heavy that could eventually send humans to Mars and beyond.
Elon Musk's SpaceX made history on February 6 with the launch of Falcon Heavy from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. National Geographic managed to record some behind-the-scene footage of SpaceX CEO Musk, a few minutes before the highly-anticipated launch.
The 1.37 minute clip not only captures a picture-perfect launch of the world's most powerful rocket, but also the recovery of two side boosters in a simultaneous, controlled landing. The video has been retweeted over 11,000 times.
Exclusive behind-the-scenes-footage follows Elon Musk in the moments before the Falcon Heavy launch https://t.co/oaLvkR12Jl pic.twitter.com/HXgiBNU1OR
— National Geographic (@NatGeo) February 10, 2018
The video opens with Musk exclaiming, "Holy flying f--k, that thing took off." The NatGeo crew follows Musk and the SpaceX staff as they run out of the door of the launch control center and look upward. "Look at that! That's unreal!" Musk is heard saying.
SpaceX intends to build a more powerful rocket than Falcon Heavy that could eventually send humans to Mars and beyond.
The 23-storey-tall jumbo rocket, carrying a cherry red Tesla Roadster from the assembly line of Musk's electric car company as a mock payload, thundered off its launchpad in billowing clouds of steam and rocket exhaust at 3:45 p.m (2045 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center.
The Falcon Heavy is now the world's most powerful operational rocket, capable of lifting 141,000 pounds of cargo into low-Earth orbit - the same as about 10 adult African elephants.
Musk emphasized before and after the launch, success was never guaranteed.
"We tried to cancel the Falcon Heavy program three times at SpaceX, because it [was] way harder than we thought," said Musk in a press briefing after the launch.
Twitter was filled with awe and wonder at the footage:
The world needs more men/women like him!
— (1-cos²)^½ (@aleseno) February 10, 2018
Dammit, I get choked up every time I see it!
— DDDDDropthebass (@DDDDDropthebass) February 10, 2018
Why does this happen?? I watched the launch in person and everyone was crying!!
— Jeff Revenaugh (@RU12DV8) February 11, 2018
The high stakes I guess. Something so difficult, never done before. So much time, effort, money, sweat, tears, sleepless nights and such, all boiled down to some ten minutes where the slightest mistake could ruin it all. The overwhelming feeling of relief...
— Ole Martin Håland (@Olliman123) February 11, 2018
You can see the exact moment when he turns into a little boy again. Such an amazing and genuine man
— TheEvilSocks (@TheEvilSocks_) February 10, 2018
I just want to send love to the dedicated videographer who DID NOT LOOK UP during the Falcon Heavy launch and INSTEAD dutifully recorded another man's reaction. #avwoes #weveallgotajobtodo
— Adrienne Hodges (@hodgehaus) February 11, 2018
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