SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket targets new launch date from Kennedy Space Center

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Launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy

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The new SpaceX rocket, the Falcon Heavy, takes off

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Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, answers questions during

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View of Cape Canaveral Beach: Crowds watch SpaceX

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Boosters separate from the central core of SpaceX

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Two propellers from SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket

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Two of Falcon Heavy's boosters return to Cape Town

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Crowds at Cape Canaveral watch two of three recalls

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Crowds watch from the beach near Port Canaveral as

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Crowds pack Brevard's beaches for SpaceX Falcon

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SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launches demo

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Crowds of people. recalls the launch days of the shuttle,

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Makr and Linda Guinn from Minnesota were part of the

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Bart Stutts watches the rocket come out of the site. crowds

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Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, speaks at the Kennedy Space Center

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Spectators wishing to follow the launch of SpaceX's three-core Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center will have to wait at least one more day, according to the latest Eastern Range launch schedules.

The teams do not target earlier than 6:36 pm Wednesday for the takeoff of 39A platform of the first operational mission of the much vaunted rocket. The launch window will remain open until 20:35.

The delay is good news on the weather front: Tuesday's forecast was far from favorable, but Wednesday night's conditions are much better for take-off. The 45th Air Force Meteorological Squadron expects 80% of the conditions to be "met" during this period.

The vehicle had already been launched in February 2018 during a demonstration mission, but Wednesday's flight would mark its first paid tour. Arabsat, in Saudi Arabia, expects its commercial communications satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, to remain in geostationary orbit for up to 15 years.

For spectators on Space Coast, the boosters will come back again to steal the show. Shortly after takeoff, the two side boosters will separate and target automated landings at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base. After firing a few more seconds, the central core will attempt a landing on the Of course I still love you drone ship, but this will not be visible outside the SpaceX webcast.

Wednesday's flight is not an exact copy of last year's, as this vehicle will feature 10% more thrust – 5.1 million pounds from 27 Merlin engines – compared to the February demonstration flight.

Contact Emre Kelly at [email protected] or 321-242-3715. Follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram on @EmreKelly.

TO CLOSE

SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, and landed at two of the side boosters at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base.
Florida today

Launch Wednesday

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon Heavy

Mission: Arabsat 6A communication satellite

Launch time: 6:36 ET

Launch window: ET 20:35

Launching complex: 39A at the Kennedy Space Center

Landing: Side Boosters at Cape Canaveral Air Base; basic reminder on Of course I still love you drone ship

weather: 80 percent "go"

Join floridatoday.com/space for countdown updates and discussion starting at 4:30 pm. Wednesday, including the webcast of the SpaceX launch webcast approximately 30 minutes before takeoff.

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