SpaceX launches world's most powerful operational rocket

The Falcon Heavy rocket blasted off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 3:45pm local time carrying a largely symbolic payload: a red Tesla Roadster belonging to SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk.

The company claims Falcon Heavy is the strongest rocket in the world. With a capacity of 2,500 tons, the missile is equivalent to 18 Boeing 747s. The rocket is capable of lifting 64 tons into orbit.