SpaceX has successfully tested all three of its Falcon Heavy first stage cores ahead of a planned maiden launch in November:
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is hoping to launch his company's Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time in November, and with just a couple of months to go, the company announced that it has completed testing on all three of the rocket's first stage cores.
In the tweet, the company says that three first stage cores have completed their testing, and showed off a video of a static test of one of the cores. The company conducted its first static test of the Falcon Heavy's main core in May.
[For more about the Falcon Heavy, see SpaceX and Wikipedia. --Ed.]
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The static test fire of the Falcon Heavy, already delayed several times in recent days, has now been delayed due to the U.S. government shutdown:
SpaceX will be unable to test fire its three-core Falcon Heavy rocket at Kennedy Space Center due to the government shutdown, further delaying checkout operations ahead of the rocket's demonstration flight, the 45th Space Wing said Sunday.
"Due to the shutdown removing key members of the civilian workforce, the 45th Space Wing will not be able to support commercial static fires taking place on KSC," the Wing said, further noting that launch operations at KSC and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are also on hold until the shutdown is resolved.
SpaceX teams have fueled the 230-foot-tall Falcon Heavy rocket at pad 39A at least twice ahead of the static test fire, which is essentially a test before the test – engineers will examine data from the 12-second firing of the rocket's 27 Merlin main engines before giving the all clear to launch on its premiere mission.
General article about Falcon Heavy.
Previously: SpaceX to Attempt Landing Three Falcon Heavy Boosters on Pads
Elon Musk Says Successful Maiden Flight for Falcon Heavy Unlikely
Falcon Heavy Prepares for Debut Flight as Musk Urges Caution on Expectations
SpaceX Successfully Tests Falcon Heavy First Stage Cores
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Rocket Sets Up at Cape Canaveral Ahead of Launch
Falcon Heavy Readied for Static Fire Test
U.S. Government Shutdown Starting on January 20, 2018
Engadget is reporting that the Flacon Heavy demo flight has been scheduled:
It looks as though it's finally happening. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket may have a launch date, according to Chris G. of NASASpaceflight.com. The rocket will launch no earlier than February 6th, with a window of 1:30 PM ET to 4:30 PM ET. There's a backup window on February 7th, just in case. We've reached out to SpaceX for confirmation.
Update 1/27: Elon Musk has confirmed that SpaceX is "aiming for" a February 6th launch.
Aiming for first flight of Falcon Heavy on Feb 6 from Apollo launchpad 39A at Cape Kennedy. Easy viewing from the public causeway.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2018
Spaceflight Now has these launch details:
Launch window: 1830-2130 GMT (1:30-4:30 p.m. EST)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch on its first demonstration flight. The heavy-lift rocket is formed of three Falcon 9 rocket cores strapped together with 27 Merlin 1D engines firing at liftoff. The first Falcon Heavy rocket will attempt to place a Tesla Roadster on an Earth escape trajectory into a heliocentric orbit.
Previously:
SpaceX Conducts Successful Static Fire Test of Falcon Heavy
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Testing Delayed by Government Shutdown
Falcon Heavy Readied for Static Fire Test
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Rocket Sets Up at Cape Canaveral Ahead of Launch
SpaceX Successfully Tests Falcon Heavy First Stage Cores
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Immerman on Monday September 04 2017, @03:50PM
The Heavy should eventually start to really open up space, restoring the heavy-lift capacity we've been missing for so long. Especially important now that Bigelow etc. seem to be ready to use that capacity to start making quick and easy pop-up orbital habitats.
And in the meantime, we should hopefully be treated to some spectacular fireworks at least on par with the early landing attempts while they work out the details!