Launch Complex 39A • Liftoff & Ignition
First commercial mission of SpaceX Falcon Heavy – Ignition of all 27 Merlin 1D engines (~22.8 MN thrust) and liftoff carrying Arabsat-6A at 18:35 EDT (22:35 UTC)
Ascent Track • Pitch & Roll Maneuver
Close-up view of Falcon Heavy during initial ascent and pitch/roll maneuver after clearing the tower
BECO & Side Core Separation
Booster Engine Cut-Off (BECO) and side core separation at T+2:30 followed by continued second-stage ascent
Dual Side-Core Landing & Post-Launch Pad View
Re-entry burn and simultaneous dual landing of side cores at Landing Zones 1 & 2 (LZ-1 / LZ-2) at T+8:00, and post-launch view of LC-39A
Historical Note: The Arabsat-6A mission marked the first operational commercial flight of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket and the inaugural flight of the upgraded Block 5 configuration. Following a flawless launch from Launch Complex 39A, SpaceX accomplished the historic first-ever successful recovery of all three first-stage boosters: side boosters B1052 and B1053 executed a synchronized dual touchdown at Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) and Landing Zone 2 (LZ-2), while the center core (B1055) landed downrange on the autonomous drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Atlantic Ocean.