NASA/SpaceX successfully launched the Psyche asteroid probe. Liftoff occurred 13 October 10:19 a.m. EDT (1419 GMT). The triple-booster rocket ignited all 27 of its first-stage Merlin engines, which produce up to 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, lofting Psyche skyward to begin its 2.2 billion-mile (3.5 billion kilometers) journey.
Just under 2.5 minutes into launch, Falcon Heavy’s side boosters cut off their engines, detached from the central core stage, and headed back to Florida's Space Coast to perform simultaneous landings.
Following suit about four minutes after liftoff, Falcon Heavy’s core booster shut down its first-stage engines and separated from the rocket's second stage, which was tasked with carrying Psyche the rest of the way to orbital escape velocity.
Rather than attempting to land the core booster on one of SpaceX's autonomous drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean, maximum fuel was allotted to ensure Psyche's nominal trajectory, and the never-before-flown core was left to careen to its destructive fate in the depths of the sea.
Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon Heavy’s side boosters began their landing burns. About 15 seconds later, the boosters touched down at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2.
These will be refurbished and reused for another couple of times in future launches.