SpaceX successfully launches it's monster Falcon Heavy Rocket carrying the Tesla Roadster

[ItsMitch]

SpaceX is on track to launch it's first ever Falcon Heavy rocket which is carrying Elon Musk's private Tesla Roaster with a cute little spaceman inside it. SpaceX has recently released its press kit for all to see on its website and I'll be noting several key details of it and the sources of the day will be SpaceX, Elon Musk, and CNN Money.  Elon also expressed concern over the launch that it's a 50/50 launch and as long as it clears the pad, it's a success in his eyes. 

Quote

If it works, Falcon Heavy will become the world's most powerful operational rocket. Its first uncrewed test flight is scheduled for Tuesday between 1:30 pm and 4 pm ET at at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"It's the biggest rocket in the world by far," SpaceX CEO Musk told CNN's Rachel Crane Monday.

With its 27 engines, the rocket will give off a thrust equal to 18 Boeing (BA) 747 jetliners. With that kind of thrust, Falcon Heavy will be capable of sending humans to the moon or Mars, SpaceX says. - CNN 

 

SpaceX has recently released its press kit and it comes with a lot of cool and interesting information. They also included the mission timeline which is standard of SpaceX. 

 

The Launch Facility that SpaceX will be using is Launch Complex 39A:

Quote

Built to support the Apollo program in the 1960s, LC-39A supported many of the Apollo missions, including the first Saturn V launch (Apollo 4), and Apollo 11, which sent the first humans to the surface of the moon. In 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease with NASA for the use of LC-39A. Since then, the company has made significant upgrades to modernize the pad’s structures and ground systems, while also preserving its important heritage. Extensive modifications to LC-39A have been made to support launches of both the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles.

SpaceX lastly released this picture to the press for distribution and yes, that's a lot of action in one launch. 

 

The YouTube stream can be watched here:

And we're still on track for a 1:30PM EST or also FL time which works at to be around 4 hours from now. 

 

SOURCES: https://spacex.com.pl/files/2018-02/fh-demo-press-kit.pdf |  http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/05/technology/future/elon-musk-spacex-falcon-heavy/index.html | SpaceX - Elon Musk

 

Final updates from Elon and Chris G.

11 hours ago, SC2Mitch said:

Elon confirmed the rocket didn't have enough fuel to land properly on the craft and slammed into the water at 300MP/H killing 2 engines on the rocket

 

Just now, SC2Mitch said:

Final burn was completed many hours ago, it overshot by a lot and is currently heading towards the asteroid belt. Go figure

 

 

[seon123]

They're actually sending his Telsla Roadster into space? Damn, he's taking this joke way too far

[ItsMitch]

Just now, seon123 said:

They're actually sending his Telsla Roadster into space? Damn, he's taking this joke way too far

He's lacking in literal fucks to give at this rate. 

[knightslugger]

The problem with SpaceX is that they are REALLY GOOD at failing. Meaning of course that they learn so much from their failures that success is guaranteed in the future.

[ItsMitch]

3 minutes ago, knightslugger said:

The problem with SpaceX is that they are REALLY GOOD at failing. Meaning of course that they learn so much from their failures that success is guaranteed in the future.

What you mean, really good at failing? F9 rockets haven't failed in a long time and are some of the most reliable in the world. Unless you mean by failing, they miss some launch targets due to hardware problems? 

[Thermite]

@SC2Mitch I’m most excited for the drone ship landing. I don’t exactly know why they would use the ship when they could land on land which is going to be much more stable. Any idea why they are doing that?

[knightslugger]

1 minute ago, SC2Mitch said:

What you mean, really good at failing? F9 rockets haven't failed in a long time and are some of the most reliable in the world. Unless you mean by failing, they miss some launch targets due to hardware problems? 

no i mean in their R&D. Falcon Heavy is a whole 'nother beast of a rocket. it's been delayed 5 years because of the problems they've had to sort out strapping three F9 rockets together and starting the engines... and that's not even the hardest part yet. They've failed many many times experimenting, and they have come back smarter and safer because of their failures.

[knightslugger]

6 minutes ago, Thermite said:

@SC2Mitch I’m most excited for the drone ship landing. I don’t exactly know why they would use the ship when they could land on land which is going to be much more stable. Any idea why they are doing that?

the downrange distance makes a return to land for the center core impossible. It's not different than GTO injection orbits.

[ItsMitch]

6 minutes ago, Thermite said:

@SC2Mitch I’m most excited for the drone ship landing. I don’t exactly know why they would use the ship when they could land on land which is going to be much more stable. Any idea why they are doing that?

it's literally impossible to bring it all the way back to land and it's running low on fuel itself so a drone ship is safer and more economical. 

 

1 minute ago, knightslugger said:

no i mean in their R&D. Falcon Heavy is a whole 'nother beast of a rocket. it's been delayed 5 years because of the problems they've had to sort out strapping three F9 rockets together and starting the engines... and that's not even the hardest part yet. They've failed many many times experimenting, and they have come back smarter and safer because of their failures.

Ah, that's very true. 

[Thermosman]

You dont fail, you just learn what doesn't work

 

29 minutes ago, knightslugger said:

The problem with SpaceX is that they are REALLY GOOD at failing. Meaning of course that they learn so much from their failures that success is guaranteed in the future.

 

[Thermite]

Makes sense thanks. @SC2Mitch @knightslugger

[Eduard the weeb]

45 minutes ago, SC2Mitch said:

And we're still on track for a 1:30PM FL time which works at to be around 4 hours from now.

JUST SAY EST PLZ

[ItsMitch]

Just now, Eduard the weeb said:

JUST SAY EST PLZ

fl time Keepo 

just for you i'll make it est

[Thermite]

Just now, SC2Mitch said:

fl time Keepo 

No it should just be dynamic based on your IP address. Would make it a lot easier.

[Bananasplit_00]

If they wanted to get rid of someone, stuffing them in the spacesuit in the tesla is a pretty good way... 

[Thermite]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

If they wanted to get rid of someone, stuffing them in the spacesuit in the tesla is a pretty good way... 

They would probably turn to liquid with the amount of force this rocket is going to produce. Or... fireworks show.

[Eduard the weeb]

Super excited to see, hopefully it is a successful launch and gets off the ground without exploding because that would be a really big accomplishment imo.

[knightslugger]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

If they wanted to get rid of someone, stuffing them in the spacesuit in the tesla is a pretty good way... 

I'm thinking the only thing in that suit is a crapload of telemetry gadgets and environmental sensors to see what their challenges are for a trip to mars.

[captain_to_fire]

Does it mean that planet Mars will be like our extraterrestrial Alcatraz or Guantanamo Bay prison? I think the worst kind of criminals deserve to serve their sentence there anyway.

[Bananasplit_00]

1 minute ago, Thermite said:

They would probably turn to liquid with the amount of force this rocket is going to produce. Or... fireworks show.

exactly, either the body burns to nothingness or it gets mushed and sent to mars, both options are pretty solid  

 

1 minute ago, knightslugger said:

I'm thinking the only thing in that suit is a crapload of telemetry gadgets and environmental sensors to see what their challenges are for a trip to mars.

oh yah, probably. might be a camera in the helmet looking out too but just saying, it WOULD be a pretty good way to get rid of a body 

[knightslugger]

1 minute ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

oh yah, probably. might be a camera in the helmet looking out too but just saying, it WOULD be a pretty good way to get rid of a body 

I'll be impressed if the "dummy" stays in place.

[Thermosman]

We should esablish a presence on the moon before we try to colonize mars

[ItsMitch]

1 minute ago, knightslugger said:

I'll be impressed if the "dummy" stays in place.

It's strapped in with a lot of belts, from the pictures we have at least. 

[knightslugger]

4 minutes ago, Thermosman said:

We should esablish a presence on the moon before we try to colonize mars

That's the idea. a moonbase first, then mars.

[Master Disaster]

This could be like our generations Apollo program tbh, today a possible explosion, tomorrow Mars.