WATCH THURSDAY'S LAUNCH OF SPACEX FALCON HEAVY:
UPDATE: SpaceX has scrubbed the launch and says the next opportunity will be tomorrow.
Standing down from today’s Falcon Heavy launch attempt; next opportunity is tomorrow, April 11.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 10, 2019
ORIGINAL STORY:
SpaceX is set to launch its massive Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Wednesday evening.
The company said it has a targeted liftoff of 8 p.m., but it is monitoring upper-level winds that could push the launch back to the end of the launch window (8:32 p.m.).
The launch window has been pushed back several times since Sunday.
SpaceX said Central Florida residents may hear a sonic boom soon after the scheduled launch.
The aerospace company said people in Brevard, Volusia, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Indian River counties could hear one or more sonic booms during the landing attempt of two first stage boosters at Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
SpaceX officials said residents in Brevard County will most likely hear one or more sonic booms, which will sound like a brief thunder-like sound.
A third booster will attempt to land on SpaceX’s drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
The rocket launch company has previously landed 12 first stage boosters on land, including the two boosters that landed nearly simultaneously during the first launch of Falcon Heavy for its demonstration mission in February 2018.
This launch marks the first commercial launch for Falcon Heavy as they send a Saudi Arabian communications satellite, Arabsat-6A, into orbit.
The launch was rescheduled for Wednesday after being set for Tuesday. Storms are not likely to impact the launch Wednesday with weather being 80 percent favorable for launch, according to SpaceX.
“This is 50 to 60 tons to orbit for a fixed price of $90 million. That's a real game-changer,” said Dale Ketcham, with Space Florida. “The first one was for show, classic Elon, we're going to put a red Tesla in orbit around Mars. But that was for show. This one is for business, which is also classic Elon.”
“Now that everyone knows how awesome it is, the most powerful rocket in the world, and the twin boosters coming back just north of the port, I think that's going to draw more people,” Ketcham said.
Titusville police officers are preparing for a lot of pedestrian traffic and heavy congestion, especially around State Road 406 and U.S. 1.
There will be additional details focusing on security and traffic control, police said.
The same is true around Port Canaveral where no parking will be allowed on State Road 401 or State Road 528 median.
Cox Media Group
