CHAPTER 1 BLASTING OFF A giant rocket sits on the launch pad It is about to blast off The rocket is 23 stories tall It is built to carry heavy cargo The rocket is called the Falcon Heavy Today it will make its first trip to space A Falcon Heavy rocket launches at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida 5
The rocket’s engines roar to life They shoot out hot gases The rocket zooms up into the air Pieces of the rocket come apart as it flies First the two rocket boosters use up their fuel They fall away from the main rocket FUN FACT The Falcon Heavy carried an electric car to space A dummy named Starman rode in the car 6
After falling off the main rocket the boosters fly back to the launch pad A few minutes later the main rocket releases the upper stage The rocket returns to the ground But the upper stage keeps flying through space It will travel around the sun 7
