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Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 06-02-2018<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \n Lift off of the most powerful rocket to leave earth in a generation is set for its maiden flight from Florida on Tuesday. <\/p>\n The 23-story-tall Falcon Heavy developed by the private space flight company Space X is scheduled for lift off from the Kenney Space Centre carrying a 1.2 million Rand cherry red electric-powered Tesla sports car belong to the company\u2019s South African born founder Elon Musk.<\/p>\n The sleek Tesla Roadster is supposed to be sent into a virtually indefinite solar orbit, on a path taking it as far from Earth as Mars. Adding to the whimsy, SpaceX has planted a space-suited in the driver\u2019s seat of the convertible.<\/p>\n Getting the rocket off the ground would likely give California-based SpaceX a new edge on the handful of commercial rocket companies vying for lucrative contracts with NASA, satellite companies and the U.S. military.<\/p>\n Propelled by 27 rocket engines, the Falcon Heavy packs more than 5 million pounds of thrust at launch, roughly three times the force of the Falcon 9 booster that until now has been the workhorse of the SpaceX fleet.<\/p>\n If the demonstration flight succeeds, Falcon Heavy will rank as the world\u2019s most powerful existing rocket, with more lift capacity than any U.S. space vehicle since the era of NASA\u2019s Saturn 5 rockets that took astronauts to the moon some 45 years ago.<\/p>\n – Reuters\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n