SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket poised for launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in this artists concept. Credit: SpaceX
Before the year is out, the long awaited debut launch of the triple barreled Falcon Heavy rocket may at last be in sight says SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk, as he forthrightly acknowledges it comes with high risk and released a stunning new animation earlier today, Aug. 4.
After years of development and delays, the inaugural blastoff of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy is currently slated for November 2017 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to Musk.
"Falcon Heavy maiden launch this November," SpaceX CEO and billionaire founder Elon Musk tweeted last week.
And to whet the appetites of space enthusiasts worldwide, just today Musk also published a brand new one minute long draft animation of the Falcon Heavy triple booster launch and individual landings of the trio of first stage boosters.
Video Caption: SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch from KSC pad 39A pad and first stage booster landings. Credit: SpaceX
The launch of the extremely complicated Falcon Heavy booster with 27 first stage engines also comes associated with a huge risk - and he hope that it at least rises far enough off the ground to minimize the chances of damage to the historic pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
"There's a lot of risk associated with Falcon Heavy, a real good chance that that vehicle does not make it to orbit," Musk said recently while speaking at the International Space Station Research and Development Conference in Washington, D.C. on July 19.
"I want to make sure to set expectations accordingly. I hope it makes it far enough beyond the pad so that it does not cause pad damage. I would consider even that a win, to be honest."
"I encourage people to come down to the Cape to see the first Falcon Heavy mission," Musk said. "It's guaranteed to be exciting."
To date SpaceX has successfully demonstrated the recovery of thirteen boosters.
Furthermore SpaceX engineers have advanced to the next step and successfully recycled, reflown and relaunched two 'flight-proven first stages this year in March and June of 2017 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Watch for Ken's onsite 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.
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