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Most Powerful Rocket Since Apollo Missions Planned

Plans for the world's "most powerful rocket since man went to the moon" were unveiled today.

As The Associated Press reports, "the rocket could lift twice as much cargo into orbit as the soon-to-be-retired space shuttle. Space Exploration Technology's new rocket, called Falcon Heavy, is big enough to send cargo or even people out of Earth's orbit to the moon, an asteroid or Mars. Only the long retired Saturn V rocket that sent men to the moon was bigger."

SpaceX has data about Falcon Heavy here. It projects the price will be $80 million to $125 million.

And it's produced this promotional video.

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Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.