X

See a burnt Falcon Heavy booster in person this week

One of the recycled SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets that launched the historic Falcon Heavy system to space for the first time is hanging out at Kennedy Space Center for a few days.

Eric Mack Contributing Editor
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Eric Mack

If you want to get up close with the bit of space history recently made by Elon Musk, SpaceX and the first Falcon Heavy launch, all you have to do is make your way to Florida's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) this week.

One of the charred side boosters that helped push Heavy and its payload -- Musk's red Tesla Roadster driven by "Starman" -- to space is currently on display at KSC for the next few days for all to see.

The booster is a recycled Falcon 9 that flew another mission before being strapped to the side of Falcon Heavy for its historic flight earlier this month. Both of the side boosters landed successfully (and nearly simultaneously) at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station less than 10 minutes after blasting off from KSC. 

It is perhaps not a coincidence that the temporary Falcon Heavy booster display at KSC coincides with a meeting of the reconstituted National Space Council chaired by Vice President Mike Pence. The vice president will participate in a "commercial spaceflight federal reception" on Tuesday at KSC, followed by the council meeting to be held Wednesday, according to a release from NASA.