SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Rocket Ready To Launch From Kennedy Space Center Today
By Space Coast Daily // February 6, 2018
Launch window opens at 1:30 p.m. ET
ABOVE VIDEO: Falcon Heavy – Flight Animation
BREVARD COUNTY • KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA – SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter last week the official launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket is set for Feb. 6 from historic Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
“Aiming for first flight of Falcon Heavy on Feb. 6 from Apollo launchpad 39A at Cape Kennedy,” Musk said on Twitter. “Easy viewing from the public causeway.”
Launch window will open at 1:30 p.m. ET
Musk said that a possible backup date is set for Feb. 7.
After several weeks of preparation, SpaceX’s massive Falcon Heavy rocket on Launch Pad 39A completed a static firing for the first time last week. The test included firing all 27 engines nearly simultaneously while the rocket was held in place on the launch pad.
SpaceX Founder Elon Musk posted on Twitter that the rocket would launch “in a week or so.” The flight will carry Musk’s red Tesla Roadster as a payload.
The Falcon Heavy rocket is now the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V and can launch twice as much payload as the United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy.
With more than 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff—equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft at full power—Falcon Heavy will be the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two.
Consisting of three boosters and 27 engines, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy includes two Falcon 9 first-stage boosters and a central core booster that is a modified Falcon 9.
Coverage of the launch can be seen on Space Coast Daily TV
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First static fire test of Falcon Heavy complete—one step closer to first test flight! pic.twitter.com/EZF4JOT8e4
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 24, 2018
ABOVE VIDEO: After several weeks of preparation, SpaceX’s massive Falcon Heavy rocket on Launch Pad 39A has completed a static firing for the first time.
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