[Update #2] (2019-04-10 7:30pm EDT (23:30 UTC))
This launch has been scrubbed until tomorrow. :
"Standing down from today’s Falcon Heavy launch attempt; next opportunity is tomorrow, April 11."
New launch window is: "Thursday, April 11 at 6:35 p.m. EDT, or 22:35 UTC, and closes at 8:31 p.m. EDT, or 00:31 UTC on Friday, April 12"
[Update #1] (2019-04-10 8:40pm EDT (22:40 UTC)):
It appears the launch has been delayed 85 minutes from 6:35pm EDT (22:35 UTC) until 8:00pm EDT (00:00 UTC on 2019-04-11); see the tweet:
Falcon Heavy and Arabsat-6A are vertical on Launch Complex 39A. Currently targeting liftoff at 8:00 p.m. EDT; monitoring upper-level winds that could push us to the end of the window (8:32 p.m. EDT)
Also noted on SpaceX's webcast page:
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, April 10 for a Falcon Heavy launch of the Arabsat-6A satellite from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 8:00 p.m. EDT, or 00:00 UTC on April 11, and the launch window closes at 8:32 p.m. EDT, or 00:32 UTC on April 11. A backup launch window opens on Thursday, April 11 at 6:35 p.m. EDT, or 22:35 UTC, and closes at 8:31 p.m. EDT, or 00:31 UTC on Friday, April 12. The satellite will be deployed approximately 34 minutes after liftoff.
Following booster separation, Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will attempt to land at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2 (LZ-1 and LZ-2) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Falcon Heavy’s center core will attempt to land on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
You can watch a webcast of the launch below, which will start about 20 minutes before liftoff, and find out more about the mission in our press kit (pdf).
Original story follows.
For only the second time ever, and the first time with a commercial payload (Arabsat-6A), SpaceX is planning to launch its Falcon Heavy (FH) rocket today. The launch was rescheduled from April 7th and April 9th. The FH is currently the most powerful rocket in the world. According to Wikipedia, the:
Falcon Heavy is a partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX. It is derived from the Falcon 9 vehicle and consists of a strengthened Falcon 9 first stage as a central core with two additional first stages as strap-on boosters. Falcon Heavy has the highest payload capacity of any currently operational launch vehicle, and the fourth-highest capacity of any rocket ever built, trailing the American Saturn V and the Soviet Energia and N1.
SpaceX conducted Falcon Heavy's maiden launch on February 6, 2018, at 3:45 p.m. EST (20:45 UTC). The rocket carried a Tesla Roadster belonging to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, as a dummy payload.
From an article at Teslarati, SpaceX to Livestream Falcon Heavy Block 5 Launch Debut Today:
SpaceX is half a day away from the planned launch debut of Falcon Heavy Block 5, a milestone that will also be the rocket's second launch ever and first mission with a commercial payload.
First and foremost, Falcon Heavy's job is to safely place the Saudi Arabian communications satellite Arabsat 6A into a high-energy geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) more than 35,000 km (~22,000 mi) above Earth's surface. Despite the satellite weighing no less than 6000 kg (13,200 lb), Falcon Heavy will still have enough latent performance to attempt the recovery of all three of its new Block 5 boosters. With any luck, this will hopefully return SpaceX's East Coast landing zones (LZ-1 and LZ-2) to successful operations after an anomaly in December 2018 caused Falcon 9 B1051 to landing a mile or so offshore.
[...] This time around, Falcon Heavy will be made entirely out of Block 5 hardware, including three new boosters (likely B1052, B1053, and B1055), a Block 5 upper stage with a Merlin Vacuum engine, and a recovery-optimized "Version 2" payload fairing. Altogether, Falcon Heavy likely weighs upwards of 80,000 kg (175,000 lb) empty and more than 1,420 metric tons (3,125,000 lb) when fully fueled. At liftoff, the Falcon Heavy Block 5 rocket's 27 Merlin 1D engines are expected to produce no less than 5.1 million pounds (~2300 mT/23,000 kN) of thrust at full throttle, but that figure could rise as high as 5.6 million pounds (2550 mT/25,500 kN) of thrust depending on how one interprets rather vague official numbers from CEO Elon Musk.
SpaceX has a live-stream page up on YouTube for the launch. From the description on that page:
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, April 10 for a Falcon Heavy launch of the Arabsat-6A satellite from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The primary launch window opens at 6:35 p.m. EDT, or 22:35 UTC, and closes at 8:32 p.m. EDT, or 00:32 p.m. UTC on Thursday, April 11. A backup launch window opens on Thursday, April 11 at 6:35 p.m. EDT, or 22:35 UTC, and closes at 8:31 p.m. EDT, or 00:31 UTC on Friday, April 12. The satellite will be deployed approximately 34 minutes after liftoff.
Following booster separation, Falcon Heavy's two side boosters will attempt to land at SpaceX's Landing Zones 1 and 2 (LZ-1 and LZ-2) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Falcon Heavy's center core will attempt to land on the "Of Course I Still Love You" droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
I'm hoping it is able to launch on time. Watching the near simultaneous landing of the side boosters from the inaugural FH launch was breathtaking. I'll be following along in our #Soylent channel on IRC (Internet Relay Chat).
The launch is scheduled at one hour from the time this story goes live. The live stream is due to start 20 minutes before the launch.
See also: Falcon Heavy making only second flight, but it's already changing the game
Previously: NASA Chief Says a Falcon Heavy Rocket Could Fly Humans to the Moon
Two Soyuz Launches and a Falcon Heavy Launch Coming Right Up
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch with Arabsat Reset for Tuesday
Related Stories
Submitted via IRC for Bytram
NASA chief says a Falcon Heavy rocket could fly humans to the Moon
[...] Until now, it was thought that only NASA's Space Launch System could directly inject the Orion spacecraft into a lunar orbit, which made it the preferred option for getting astronauts to the Moon for any potential landing by 2024. However, [NASA Administrator Jim] Bridenstine said there was another option: a Falcon Heavy rocket with an Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage built by United Launch Alliance.
[...] This plan has the ability to put humans on the Moon by 2024, Bridenstine said. He then emphasized—twice—that NASA's chief of human spaceflight, William Gerstenmaier, has yet to bless this approach due to a number of technical details. His reservations include the challenge of integrating the Falcon Heavy rocket in a horizontal position and then loading Orion with fuel in a vertical configuration on the launchpad. The Falcon Heavy would also require a larger payload fairing than it normally flies with. This would place uncertain stress on the rocket's side-mounted boosters.
"It would require time [and] cost, and there is risk involved," Bridenstine said. "But guess what—if we're going to land boots on the Moon in 2024, we have time, and we have the ability to accept some risk and make some modifications. All of that is on the table. There is nothing sacred here that is off the table. And that is a potential capability that could help us land boots on the Moon in 2024."
Two Soyuz flights are scheduled for Thursday April 4 and the second flight ever of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy is planned for April 7.
The Soyuz flights will take off from two different locations. The first, which is scheduled for 11:01:35 UTC (07:01:35 EDT), is of a Soyuz-2.1a from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. According to SpaceFlightNow, it carries "several tons of fuel, food and supplies for the space station and its six-person crew."
The second Soyuz flight (of a Soyuz 2-1b) is scheduled for a 16:30:37 UTC (12:30:37 EDT) launch from the Guiana Space Center on the northeast coast of South America. It carries four broadband satellites for O3b Networks "which provides broadband service to developing countries."
The Falcon Heavy (FH) has flown only once before (on February 6, 2018) when it sent Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster into an orbit that extended past Mars' orbit. The FH is comprised of 3 SpaceX Block 5 cores, each of which has 9 Merlin engines.
The upcoming Falcon Heavy launch is scheduled for April 7th/8th (launch window: 22:36-00:35 UTC). That works out to 18:36-20:35 EDT on April 7th. The flight "will launch the Arabsat 6A communications satellite for Arabsat of Saudi Arabia. Arabsat 6A will provide Ku-band and Ka-band communications coverage over the Middle East and North Africa regions, as well as a footprint in South Africa." (Information taken from SpaceFlightNow's Launch Schedule.)
SpaceX launches are typically live-streamed on YouTube. Check SpaceX's Channel for more info.
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch with Arabsat Reset for Tuesday:
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch with the ArabSat 6A satellite aboard has been reset for Tuesday after a test fire was completed Friday, SpaceX has confirmed.
The launch window was previously 6:36 to 8:35 p.m. EDT Sunday, based on airspace closure warnings. A similar time is expected for the new date. Delays or postponements can happen because of weather, technical problems or other issues.
Arabsat 6A is a communications satellite for the Riyahd, Saudi Arabia-based company of the same name. It is to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
[...] On the Falcon Heavy's maiden voyage into space in February 2018, also on a Tuesday, an estimated 100,000 visitors came to watch. That launch had the additional pizzazz of being the biggest rocket since the Saturn era ended in the 1970s. It was carrying Elon Musk's red Tesla Roadster with the crash dummy Starman at the wheel.
Two side boosters will attempt to fly back to twin landing pads at Kennedy Space Center.
[Update: 2019-04-11 6:50pm EDT (2250 UTC): No hold or delays for the launch. Successful launch and ascent. Both side boosters returned as planned to their respective landing zones; the center core successfully landed on the drone ship OCISLU. Second stage is currently in its coast phase and will then fire again to deliver the Arabsat-6A satellite to its intended orbit.]
Yesterday's planned attempt to launch SpaceX's Falcon Heavy was scrubbed due to high-level winds. Another attempt is scheduled for today. The launch will be live-streamed on YouTube. From the description on that page:
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, April 11 for a Falcon Heavy launch of the Arabsat-6A satellite from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The primary launch window opens at 6:35 p.m. EDT, or 22:35 UTC, and closes at 8:31 p.m. EDT, or 00:31 UTC on Friday, April 12. The satellite will be deployed approximately 34 minutes after liftoff.
Following booster separation, Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will attempt to land at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2 (LZ-1 and LZ-2) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Falcon Heavy’s center core will attempt to land on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Falcon Heavy is the world's largest rocket that is still in production. It weighs approximately 1.4 million kg (over 3.1 million pounds) and develops nearly 23 MN (5.1 million pounds) of thrust.
The entire rocket comes to 70 m (230 ft) in height. Each of the 3 cores is 3.66 m (12.0 ft) in diameter giving a total width of 12.2 m (40 ft).
Previously: SpaceX Falcon Heavy Block 5 Launch - Postponed: 6:35pm EDT Thursday (2019-04-12 22:35 UTC).
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Wednesday April 10 2019, @09:38PM (9 children)
Good luck though.
Launch now targeted for 8:00 PM EDT.
https://twitter.com/spacex [twitter.com]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:18PM (7 children)
8 pm EDT. Same time as the next two translations of my fave manga get released.
Big rockets, or cute anime gals...
Hmm. A hard decision.
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:35PM (3 children)
'The Rising of the Shield Hero' episode came out today, fortunately I already watched it so no conflict.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Wednesday April 10 2019, @11:34PM (2 children)
'Arpeggio of Blue Steel' for me. It gets delayed so much it's nearly a red letter day when they release a new one.
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Thursday April 11 2019, @03:56PM (1 child)
Wait...i thought that ended ages ago. Am i missing a season or something?!?
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Thursday April 11 2019, @04:59PM
This is the manga, not the anime. It's still ongoing, and has gone some quite different directions from the anime.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by takyon on Wednesday April 10 2019, @11:18PM (1 child)
You can read a manga chapter in 4 minutes, homie.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Wednesday April 10 2019, @11:30PM
They just announced a delay to tomorrow, so it's a moot point anyway.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 11 2019, @08:09AM
Or you could have a big rocket for cute anime gals...
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:58PM
New T-0 of 8:32 p.m. EDT
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 2) by KilroySmith on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:06PM
https://www.spacex.com/webcast [spacex.com]
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:06PM (1 child)
Butbut REEFER MADNESS!!!!!
-- An anonymous source with LockheedMilitaryAmazonIndustrialMartinComplexVirginIncelGalacticBoeingCointelproPost
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:28PM
Launch has been rescheduled for 4:20pm on April 20th on launchpad 420 at the Weed facility in Siskiyou County, California. The governor will be there to personally light up the rocket.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:31PM (2 children)
Can wikipedia be a reliable source if anyone can edit it?
(Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Wednesday April 10 2019, @11:09PM
It's not reliable, but it's good.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday April 11 2019, @02:58PM
Can open source be reliable if anyone can edit it?
And OMG -- the green site allows just any slob to create their own comments! Making it completely unreliable. I hope other sites don't fall into that trap.
The Centauri traded Earth jump gate technology in exchange for our superior hair mousse formulas.
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:38PM (4 children)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojvu2u28CIY [youtube.com]
this one is a bit more exciting than the official one currently, bouncing around showing it from different angles and counting down to the window.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:46PM (3 children)
It keeps crashing.
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:57PM (2 children)
Hide the chat.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @11:31PM (1 child)
Still crashed. I really only get 10 seconds before a crash so it can't be the experience everyone is having. Usually youtube works fine although I have had similar problems with livestreams in the past, just not this severe.
Firefox for linux 65.01
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Wednesday April 10 2019, @11:33PM
Wierd. Once i hid that chat mine was fine. Doesn't matter now anyway, rescheduled :-\
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @10:47PM (1 child)
Al-Jihadi satellite will track down Israeli satellites and bump them into lower orbits. Or it might just dismember them as happened to Kashoggi.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday April 10 2019, @11:19PM
That's some BS. We already covered it in the previous story.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 11 2019, @12:11AM (2 children)
That was the most interesting countdown I've seen in a long time. Gripping.... and the conclusion was unexpected. Who would have thought that Ole Muskie wouldn't deliver something on time?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday April 11 2019, @02:58AM (1 child)
That's par for the course when rocket launches are as rare as they are.
There is no pressure to launch 10 rockets every single day, so if weather conditions are bad, you'll get a delay instead of possibly losing the rocket.
Even commercial airliners get delayed by weather and we have many flights every day with customers wanting to get to their destination ASAP.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday April 11 2019, @03:00PM
Should we blame Musk for not coming up with a way to control the weather?
The Centauri traded Earth jump gate technology in exchange for our superior hair mousse formulas.
(Score: 1) by CandaceRicci on Thursday April 11 2019, @06:02PM (1 child)
After reading i cannot understand a single thing what is about
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 12 2019, @01:19AM
Some people are attempting to achieve escape velocity with their oversized expensive toy