SpaceX Is Prepared For Fifth Attempt To Launch A Falcon Heavy Rocket
SpaceX Is Prepared For Fifth Attempt To Launch A Falcon Heavy Rocket
December 26, 2023 / By Zunair Tahir / Tech News
SpaceX will spend the next several days finalizing plans for a fifth attempt to launch the Falcon Heavy into space, after four abortive attempts earlier this month.
Previous attempts by SpaceX in recent weeks to utilize the rocket to launch an experimental spacecraft for the U.S. Space Force into orbit were thwarted by a variety of factors, such as inclement weather at the Florida launch site at Kennedy Space Center and an unidentified “side issue” on the ground.
The current intended launch date is Thursday, December 28, although there is no guarantee that the Falcon Heavy will launch on time based on the results of the last four attempts. Yes, SpaceX engineers will be closely monitoring the weather, since the current forecast calls for a lot of cloud and a probability of rain.
The rocket will be making its ninth flight since its inaugural one in 2018 when the Falcon Heavy eventually roars away from the launchpad.
Because SpaceX primarily uses its reliable Falcon 9 rocket for flights to and from the International Space Station as well as satellite deployment missions in low-Earth orbit, there is increased interest in the Falcon Heavy, which is made up of three Falcon 9 rockets joined together to create a more potent vehicle.
The thrust produced by the Falcon Heavy’s 27 engines upon launch is approximately 5.5 million pounds, or the equivalent of around eighteen 747 airplanes.
In addition to the spectacular sight of all that rocket force propelling it into orbit, spectators may also see the return and upright landing of two of the three boosters shortly after launch.
This is the first mission that SpaceX has launched the Space Force’s X-37B spacecraft, which is scheduled to launch on its seventh trip into orbit following its inaugural flight in 2010.
According to the Space Force, the unmanned vehicle, which resembles a scaled-down version of the space shuttle, will conduct a number of tests in orbit, such as flying in “new orbital regimes, experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies, and investigating the radiation effects on materials provided by NASA.”
Hopefully happening on Thursday, Digital Trends has all the details you need to catch the live feed of the Falcon Heavy’s launch.