SpaceX is set to test its Falcon Heavy today for the first time at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The testing was again delayed to today due to unspecified reasons.
The Space Exploration Technologies Corporation was supposed to launch the test last week, but was further delayed until Monday this week. SpaceX nor its founder Elon Musk has not provided any information on why the launch was delayed.
Spaceflight Now confirmed the delayed via Twitter with "The engine test firing for the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket has slipped until Tuesday, with the opening of the window set for 4pm (2100 GMT)."
The $90 m rocket is considered as "The World's Most Powerful Rocket" by SpaceX." Compared to the initial Falcon 9's performance to Low Earth Orbit of 22,800 kg, the Falcon Heavy soars to 63, 800 kg to LEO. The Falcon Heavy stands at 70 m or 229.6 ft. and its total width is 12.2 m or 39.9 ft.
The Falcon Heavy is capable of carrying over 54 metric tons or 119, 000 lb. This measurement is equivalent to "a 737 jetliner loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel."
SpaceX is hoping for the success of the launch's first stage with three cores packed with nine Merlin engines. This makes that total of 27 Merlin engines to support Falcon Heavy's heavy payload. The massively upgraded rocket can even carry the Dragon spacecraft.
Speaking of the Dragon Capsule, SpaceX recently celebrated the re-entry of one of its capsules last Saturday.
It is a slightly different story, however, for SpaceX's Zuma mission launch on Jan. 7. There are reports suggesting the launch of the classified satellite was a failure and that the payload ended up plummeting back on Earth. A statement from the President of the company Gwynne Shotwell to Financial Times defends that the mission is not a failure. "After review of all data to date, Falcon 9 did everything correctly."
SpaceX is hoping to end the day with a successful first testing for its Falcon Heavy rocket.
