Maiden SpaceX Falcon Heavy Plus Tesla Set for Thunderous Blastoff Feb 6 as World’s Most Powerful Rocket: Watch Live

First fully integrated SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is raised to vertical launch position at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida – as seen up close on Feb. 5, 2017.  Nose cone housing Tesla Roadster payload is stenciled with Falcon Heavy logo. Debut liftoff slated for Feb. 6, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   5 Feb 2018

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – After years of development and delays for this ‘beast” of a vehicle, the maiden blastoff of the triple core SpaceX Falcon Heavy carrying CEO Elon Musk’s cherry red Tesla sports car - and that’s soon to become the ‘World’s Most Powerful Rocket’ - is at last at hand at lunchtime Tuesday, Feb. 6, from NASA’s historic launch complex 39A on the Kennedy Space Center in Florida – and the weather outlook tomorrow is quite promising at this time too !

“All systems remain green for launch at 1:30 p.m. EST tomorrow,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said today, Feb. 5.  

The payload on this first demonstration test flight is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ‘modified’ cherry red Tesla Roaster sports car that will be hurled outward on a whimsical trip to Mars orbit on a heliocentric orbit.  It will be playing David Bowie’s hit song ‘Space Oddity.’

The mammoth rocket powered by 27 Merlin 1D first stage engines was rolled out from the huge processing hanger at the launch complex and up the ramp to pad 39A this morning, Feb. 5, on the 212 foot long transporter erector by SpaceX workers who then raised it erect to launch position. 

Tens of thousands of folks and space fans from all across the globe have descended on the Florida Space Coast to experience first hand the sure to be spectacularly bright and thunderously loud blastoff of Falcon Heavy as it soars to space for the first time. 

And to top all that off, SpaceX also plans to recover all three first stage boosters – 1 by sea and 2 by land – a truly science fictionesque thought – only its truly real science.

So that’s 1 up and 3 down – if all goes well. 

Maiden SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is erected to vertical launch position at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida – as seen up close on Feb. 5, 2017.  Nose cone housing Tesla Roadster payload is stenciled with Falcon Heavy logo. Debut liftoff slated for Feb. 6, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com

At T Minus 1 Day all systems are currently ‘GO’ for liftoff of the triple stick rocket from historic pad 39A - that sent Apollo astronauts to the Moon - from the Kennedy Space Center in the early afternoon during a launch window that opens at 1:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 6.

 The two and a half hour long launch window extends from 1:30 p.m. until 4:00 pm EST (1830-2100 GMT).  The backup launch day is Feb. 7.

You can watch the launch live on a SpaceX dedicated webcast starting about 20 minutes prior to the 1:30 p.m. EST (1830 GMT) liftoff time.

Watch the SpaceX broadcast live starting around 1:10 p.m. EST at:  SpaceX.com/webcast 

First fully integrated SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is raised to vertical launch position at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida – as seen up close on Jan. 9, 2017.  Nose cone housing Tesla Roadster payload is stenciled with Falcon Heavy logo. Debut liftoff slated for Feb. 6, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com

The enormous 22 story tall Falcon Heavy vehicle will generate by far the loudest, most impressive and tremendous sounds thundering out from Florida’s Spaceport since the shuttle shutdown in 2011.

First SpaceX Falcon Heavy on pad 39A at KSC awaiting Feb 6 2018 blastoff. SpaceX Credit: Julian Leek

The last regulatory hurdle was cleared on Friday, Feb. 2, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted SpaceX a launch license for the debut launch of the mammoth Falcon Heavy rocket targeted for Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 6 - clearing one of the last hurdles to history.

The launch has captured the imagination of space enthusiasts and the general public alike.

Expectations of crowd size have been estimated at ranging up to 100,000 people or more!

The launch is certain to be the largest in terms of crowd size gathered since NASA’s final shuttle launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis in July 2011.

The Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket to launch since NASA’s Space Shuttles were retired in 2011.

Sporting 5.1 million pounds of liftoff, it is twice as powerful as the ULA Delta IV Heavy- currently the worlds most powerful rocket.

To put that in perspective, the thrust of the 27 Merlin 1D engines on Falcon Heavy is equivalent to 18 Boeing 747s 

Cherry red Tesla sports car owned by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is the payload on the inaugural test flight of his Falcon Heavy Rocket.  The Tesla will be propelled to Mars on the rocket’s debut flight from KSC pad 39A in Feb 2018.     Credit: SpaceX

Musk also announced today that a new Falcon Heavy launch simulation will be released shortly - before liftoff.

“Falcon Heavy launch simulation almost ready. Will be set to Bowie’s Life on Mars,” Musk tweeted.

Maiden SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is erected to vertical launch position at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida – as seen up close on Feb. 5, 2017.  Nose cone housing Tesla Roadster payload is stenciled with Falcon Heavy logo. Debut liftoff slated for Feb. 6, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com

The latest weather forecast at L- Minus 1 day outlines very favorable conditions along the Florida Space Coast with an 80% chance of favorable conditions at launch time according to U.S. Air Force meteorologists with the 45^th Space Wing Weather Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base.

The primary concerns on Feb. 6 are for Liftoff Winds and the Thick Cloud Layer Rule.

“On Tuesday [Feb. 6], winds will become easterly at 15 mph, bringing a few low-level clouds in off the water. The main weather concerns are liftoff winds and thick clouds. Maximum upper-level winds will be from the west at 90 knots near 40,000 feet,” said the 45^th Space Wing Weather Squadron in the Feb. 5 weather update.

In case of a 24 hour delay the weather outlook remains promising with only a slip dip to 70% chance of favorable launch condition

The primary concern on Wednesday, Feb. 7 is again for Liftoff Winds and the Thick Cloud Layer Rule.

Up close view of SpaceX Falcon Heavy center booster nose cone loaded with Elon Musk’s Tesla, side booster nose cones and grid fins. Debut liftoff slated for Feb. 6, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com

The triple stick Falcon Heavy is comprised of a trio of Falcon 9 boosters - including a significantly modified central core, to deal with aerodynamic stresses, that is attached to a pair of side-mounted cores with newly developed nose cones mounted in place of payload fairings. 

The two side cores are ‘flight-proven’ boosters that already launched once and are being recycled for the Heavy.

The gigantic two stage Falcon Heavy stands more than 229 feet (70 meters) tall and measures 39.9 feet wide (12.2 meters).  It also features a dozen grid fins and a dozen landing legs attached to the first stage boosters in an attempt to soft land all three cores – by land and by sea.

Maiden SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is erected to vertical launch position at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida – as seen up close on Feb. 5, 2017.  Nose cone housing Tesla Roadster payload is stenciled with Falcon Heavy logo. Debut liftoff slated for Feb. 6, 2018. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com

Read our detailed prelaunch and launch stories. 

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 , ULA and NASA and space mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com

………….

Ken’s upcoming outreach events:

Learn more about the upcoming SpaceX Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 SES-16/GovSat-1 launches on Jan. 30 & Feb. 6, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL:

Feb 5/6: “SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, ULA Atlas USAF SBIRS GEO 4 missile warning satellite, SpaceX GovSat-1, CRS-14 resupply launches to the ISS, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, GOES-S weather satellite launch, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk discusses Falcon Heavy and rocketry during media briefing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com

FAA Grants Launch License for Debut SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch, Weather 80% GO!

Maiden SpaceX Falcon Heavy ignites 27 first stage engines during first ever static fire test generating 5 million pounds of thrust and an enormous exhaust plume on Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida – as seen on Jan. 24  2018 from Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.  Debut liftoff slated for 6 February 2018.  Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   3 Feb 2018

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted SpaceX a launch license for the debut launch of the mammoth Falcon Heavy rocket targeted for Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 6, from NASA’s historic launch complex 39A in Florida - clearing one of the last hurdles to history.

An FAA license from the Office of Commercial Transportation is required for all commercial launches conducted from US soil.

And to make matters even better for the hordes of space enthusiasts flocking to the Florida Space Coast for this signature space event - the weather outlook for the first launch of the soon to be ‘World’s Most Powerful Rocket’ is rather promising at 80% GO!

So, for the second time in less than 1 week a SpaceX Falcon is set to soar to space following Wednesdays (Jan. 31) blastoff of a preflown SpaceX Falcon 9 that successfully delivered the GovSat-1 telecommunications satellite to supersynchronous orbit for the Government of Luxembourg and SES, one of the world’s top satellite operators.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying GovSat-1/SES-16 lifts off at 4:25 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida to geostationary transfer orbit on Jan. 31, 2018.  Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/www.kenkremer.com

The payload is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ‘modified’ cherry red Tesla Roaster sports car that will be hurled outward on a whimsical trip to Mars orbit.  It will be playing David Bowie’s hit song ‘Space Oddity.’

“Space Exploration Technologies is authorized to conduct a flight of the Falcon Heavy launch vehicle from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) transporting the modified Tesla Roadster (mass simulator) to a hyperbolic orbit,” reads the FAA license.

The FAA issued the launch license on Feb. 2, 2018, and it only covers the maiden liftoff with Musk’s Tesla and for a period limited to 1 year from the date of issuance.

SpaceX plans to recover all three boosters from the inaugural test flight of  the triple core rocket and the FAA license includes both the sea based and ground based precision guided landings.

“Flight includes landing of the Falcon Heavy first stage core and side boosters as indicated in the license application,” noted the FAA.

“The license terminates upon completion of the launch authorized by the license, or one (1) year from the effective date of this license order, whichever comes first.”

SpaceX CEO and billionaire founder Elon Musk revealed the targeted launch date publicly for the first time only last week.    

“Aiming for first flight of Falcon Heavy on Feb 6 from Apollo launchpad 39A at Cape Kennedy,” Musk tweeted Saturday, Jan. 27 – even as his firm’s single stick Falcon 9 targeted blastoff on Wednesday, Jan 31 on nearby pad 40 on the Florida Space Coast.

The triple core rocket will lift off from historic pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in the early afternoon during a launch window that opens at 1:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 6.

The two and a half hour long launch window extends from 1:30 p.m. until 4:00 pm EST (18:30-21:00 GMT).  The backup launch day is Feb. 7.

Musk also announced today that a new Falcon Heavy launch simulation will be released soon, presumably prior to liftoff.

“Falcon Heavy launch simulation almost ready. Will be set to Bowie’s Life on Mars,” Musk tweeted.

The latest weather forecast at L- Minus 3 outlines very favorable conditions along the Florida Space Coast with an 80% chance of favorable conditions at launch time according to U.S. Air Force meteorologists with the 45th Space Wing Weather Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base.

The primary concerns on Feb. 6 are for liftoff winds and the Thick Cloud layer Rule. 

“On Tuesday [Feb. 6], winds are expected to become easterly at 15 mph, again bringing a few low-level clouds in off the water. The main weather concerns are liftoff winds and thick clouds. Maximum upper-level winds will be from the west at 90 knots near 40,000 feet,” said the 45^th Space Wing Weather Squadron in the Feb. 3 weather update.

In case of a 24 hour delay the weather outlook remains promising with only a slip dip to 70% chance of favorable launch condition

The primary concern on Feb 7 is again for Liftoff Winds and the Thick Cloud Layer Rule.

2 soon to launch SpaceX rockets stand simultaneous erect at Florida’s Spaceport:  Falcon Heavy carrying Tesla Roadster at pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center at left (launches Feb. 6) and Falcon 9 carrying GovSat-1 at pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at right (launched Jan. 31, 2018).  Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/www.kenkremer.com

The enormous 22 story tall Falcon Heavy vehicle will generate by far the loudest, most impressive and tremendous sounds thundering out from Florida’s Spaceport since the shuttle shutdown in 2011.

It’s truly ‘Rocket Heaven’ time at Florida’s Spaceport – with a double dose of SpaceX Falcons totaling four cores launching back to back.

Launch of the soon to be ‘World’s Most Powerful Rocket’ on its first demonstration mission is at last at hand after years of postponements to refine and validate the design and develop, ready and test this incredible complex “beast” of a vehicle. 

27 first stage Merlin 1D engines will ignite to generate nearly 5 million pounds of liftoff thrust rumbling across the Florida Space Coast as it starts its history making soar to space.

The Falcon Heavy has about double the liftoff thrust of its nearest competitor – namely the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy. 

"We’re stepping through this carefully, it’s a beast of a vehicle," says SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell.

The 1^st ever static fire test for the Falcon Heavy took place on Wednesday, Jan 24, at 12:30 p.m. EST and lasted about 10 seconds – as I watched from the Playalinda Beach causeway. Read our stories here.

The triple stick Falcon Heavy is comprised of a trio of Falcon 9 boosters - including a significantly modified central core, to deal with aerodynamic stresses, that is attached to a pair of side-mounted cores with newly developed nose cones mounted in place of payload fairings. 

The two side cores are ‘flight-proven’ boosters that already launched once and are being recycled for the Heavy.

The gigantic two stage Falcon Heavy stands more than 229 feet (70 meters) tall and measures 39.9 feet wide (12.2 meters).  It also features a dozen grid fins and a dozen landing legs attached to the first stage boosters in an attempt to soft land all three cores – by land and by sea.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk discusses Falcon Heavy and rocketry during media briefing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com

Read our detailed prelaunch and launch stories. 

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of Falcon Heavy, ULA and NASA and space mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com

Cherry red Tesla sports car owned by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is the payload on the inaugural test flight of his Falcon Heavy Rocket.  The Tesla will be propelled to Mars on the rocket’s debut flight from KSC pad 39A in Feb 2018.     Credit: SpaceX

GovSat-1 Streaks to Orbit on Reflown SpaceX Falcon 9: Photo/Video Gallery

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying GovSat-1/SES-16 lifts off at 4:25 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida to geostationary transfer orbit on Jan. 31, 2018.  Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/www.kenkremer.com

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   1 Feb 2018

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL – The GovSat-1 telecommunications satellite streaked to orbit Jan. 31 after a stunningly beautiful blastoff on a reflown SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 4:25 p.m. EST (2125 GMT) from seaside Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40) on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station under nearly picture-perfect conditions.

GovSat-1 is the first satellite of GovSat, a 50:50 public private partnership between the Government of Luxembourg and SES, one of the world’s top satellite operator.

Overall GovSat-1 is also SpaceX's sixth mission with a flight-proven rocket and the second launch  in January.

“The launch went perfectly and the satellite is healthy,” SES Chief Technology Officer Martin Halliwell told Space UpClose in an exclusive one-on-one post launch interview.

 “GovSat 1 was delivered to its initial supersynchronous transfer orbit as planned.”

 GovSat-1 is primarily designed for institutional use by the government of Luxembourg and aimed at fulfilling the country’s NATO commitments, Halliwell explained.

Read my full interview with Halliwell upcoming here soon.

In the meantime, check out our extensive Space UpClose gallery of photos and videos captured from a variety of vantage points ringing the pad on the Florida Space Coast as the rocket speeds to orbit – by myself and space colleagues Jeff Seibert and Julian Leek.

And check back again later as the gallery grows!

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying GovSat-1/SES-16 lifts off at 4:25 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida to geostationary transfer orbit on Jan. 31, 2018.  Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/www.kenkremer.com

Launch of GovSat-1 on SpaceX Falcon 9 on Jan. 31, 2018 from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Julian Leek

The two stage 229-foot-tall (70-meter-tall) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the 4.7 ton GovSat-1 satellite right on time at the opening of the launch window.

The 9 first stage nine roaring Merlin 1 D engines produced 1.7 million pounds of liftoff thrust. 

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying GovSat-1/SES-16 streaks to orbit after liftoff at 4:25 p.m. EST on Jan. 31, 2018 from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida to geostationary transfer orbit.  Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/www.kenkremer.com

Watch this GovSat-1 launch video compilation from space colleague Jeff Seibert:

Video Caption: SpaceX Launches GovSat-1 on Jan. 31, 2018/ REMOTE CAMERA VIEWS. Credit: Jeff Seibert

Launch of GovSat-1 on SpaceX Falcon 9 on Jan. 31, 2018 from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Jeff Seibert

The multi-mission satellite was manufactured by prime contractor Orbital ATK. It has a design lifetime of 15 years of operation in geostationary orbit. The spacecraft has a launch mass of 4,230 kg (9326 lb). 

GovSat-1 will be located at the 21.5 degrees East orbital slot. 

It will serve Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including substantial maritime coverage over the Mediterranean and Baltic seas, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans for NATO operations. 

Wednesdays’ launch successfully completed a trifecta of liftoffs from the Cape in January including another SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the mysterious and classified Zuma spy satellite for the US government – whos fate remains unknown- and a ULA Atlas V carrying the SBIRS GEO Flight 4 satellite for the USAF. Read our earlier stories here.

The recycled first stage for the GovSat-1 mission was previously used to launch the NROL-76 spy satellite on a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office  (NRO) from LC-39A in May 2017.

Although SpaceX did not plan to again recover the booster it did conduct an experimental soft water landing test under modified conditions relighting 3 engines instead of one, but without a droneship to land on and expand the envelope of operation and operability.

In the end the booster survived by tipping over and floating in the ocean.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted this photo and caption:

“This rocket was meant to test very high retrothrust landing in water so it didn’t hurt the droneship, but amazingly it has survived. We will try to tow it back to shore,” Musk explained.

Luxembourg royalty visits CCAFS for GovSat-1 launch. Étienne Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy, Minister of Defence, Her Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duchess, His Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duke, Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister, Minister of State, Minister for Communications and Media.  Credit: Julian Leek

GovSat-1 dignitaries at Space Launch Complex 40 posing with SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. SES CEO Karim Michel Sabbagh, Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider, His and Her Royal Highness the Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg, Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel and CEO of GovSat Patrick Biewer.   Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/www.kenkremer.com

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of SpaceX Falcon 9 & Heavy, NASA, ULA and more space mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com

………….

Ken’s upcoming outreach events:

Learn more about the upcoming SpaceX Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 SES-16/GovSat-1 launches on Jan. 30 & Feb. 6, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL:

Feb 3/5/6: “SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, ULA Atlas USAF SBIRS GEO 4 missile warning satellite, SpaceX GovSat-1, CRS-14 resupply launches to the ISS, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, GOES-S weather satellite launch, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale