SpaceX Falcon Heavy vs. NASA SLS: A Comparison of Two Super Heavy Rockets

SpaceX Falcon Heavy vs. NASA SLS: A Comparison of Two Super Heavy Rockets

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy and the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) are the two most powerful rockets in the world. Both rockets are capable of launching heavy payloads into orbit, and both have ambitious plans for the future.

But how do the two rockets compare?

 

Here is a tabular comparison of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy and the NASA Space Launch System (SLS):

 

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Metric	SpaceX Falcon Heavy	NASA Space Launch System (SLS)
Height	70 meters (230 feet)	98 meters (322 feet)
Weight	1,420 metric tons (1,565 short tons)	2,760 metric tons (3,042 short tons)
Payload to low Earth orbit	70 metric tons (77 short tons)	130 metric tons (143 short tons)
Cost per launch	$90 million	$2 billion
Reusability	Reusable	Not currently reusable, but under development
Human flight	Not currently rated for human flight, but under development	Designed to carry humans to the Moon and Mars
Future plans	To launch Starship to the Moon and Mars	To launch Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond

 

 

 

As you can see, the Falcon Heavy and the SLS are two very different rockets. The Falcon Heavy is smaller, lighter, and cheaper to launch than the SLS. It is also reusable, while the SLS is not currently reusable. However, the SLS is more powerful and can carry a heavier payload to low Earth orbit. The SLS is also designed to carry humans to the Moon and Mars, while the Falcon Heavy is not currently rated for human flight.

 

 

Which rocket is better? That depends on your needs. If you need a powerful and relatively inexpensive rocket to launch a heavy payload into orbit, then the Falcon Heavy is a good choice. If you need a rocket to carry humans to the Moon and Mars, then the SLS is a good choice.

 

Size

The Falcon Heavy is taller and heavier than the SLS. It is also the most powerful rocket currently in operation. The SLS is still under development, but it is expected to be the most powerful rocket ever built.

Payload

The Falcon Heavy can carry up to 70 tons of payload to low Earth orbit. The SLS is expected to be able to carry up to 130 tons of payload to low Earth orbit.

Cost

The Falcon Heavy is much cheaper to launch than the SLS. A Falcon Heavy launch costs about $90 million, while an SLS launch is expected to cost about $2 billion.

Reusability

The Falcon Heavy is a reusable rocket. The center core of the Falcon Heavy can be landed and reused for future launches. The SLS is not currently reusable, but NASA is working on developing a reusable version of the rocket.

 

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Human flight

The Falcon Heavy is not currently rated for human flight. However, SpaceX is working on developing a human-rated version of the rocket. The SLS is designed to carry humans to the Moon and Mars.

Future plans

SpaceX plans to use the Falcon Heavy to launch its Starship spacecraft to the Moon and Mars. NASA plans to use the SLS to launch its Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.

Conclusion

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy and the NASA Space Launch System are two very different rockets. The Falcon Heavy is a powerful and relatively inexpensive rocket that is capable of launching heavy payloads into orbit. The SLS is a more powerful rocket that is designed to carry humans to the Moon and Mars.

Which rocket is better? That depends on your needs. If you need a powerful and inexpensive rocket to launch a heavy payload into orbit, then the Falcon Heavy is a good choice. If you need a rocket to carry humans to the Moon and Mars, then the SLS is a good choice.

 

 

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