SpaceX is planning its most ambitious project yet. The Falcon Heavy Rocket is due to make a demonstration launch sometime in Spring 2016, The Verge reports.
SpaceX vice president for mission and launch operation Lee Rosen came out with a statement saying, "It's going to be a great day when we launch [the Falcon Heavy], sometime in the late April - early May timeframe."
The Falcon Heavy is the world's most powerful operational rocket, only trailing behind the gargantuan which powered the Apollo moon missions, the Saturn V, and the Soviet Energia. For modern missions, however, the Falcon Heavy reigns supreme. It is capable of launching 115,000 pounds or 53,000 kilograms into low orbit.
The rocket launch is already delayed as its maiden launch was supposed to happen way back in 2013. The failed Falcon 9 rocket, understandably, temporarily froze the project. It was the third in a string of failed rocket launches in recent months.
Last October, Orbital TK's Antares rocket exploded in the launchpad. Last month, Roscosmos, the Russian equivalent of NASA, launched the supply rocket Progress 59 only to have it spin out of control and burn up in the atmosphere.
The Falcon Heavy is, essentially, three Falcon 9 rockets put together, Slash Gear reports. SpaceX released a rendering of the launch last January. It is, in every way, fascinating. Should everything go as planned, the stage one rocket boosters will land back on Earth safely after the launch.
This demonstration launch will carry no payload and will pave the way for an Air Force launch slated for September 2016. The USAF is planning on carrying 37 satellites into space using the Falcon Heavy.
The launch will happen in Kennedy Space Center and renovations to the launch pad will be complete by November. Space X is the first private entity to dock with the International Space Station.
See the video rendering of the Falcon Heavy Rocket launch below:
