Test Fire Was Planned For Last Week

When SpaceX delayed a test fire of the engines of the Falcon Heavy rocket until Monday of this week, they may not have counted on a government shutdown forcing further delays in the test, and eventual first flight of the rocket.

Blasting News online reports that the test planned for last week would have been the first time all 27 engines on a fully-assembled Falcon Heavy were ignited. The burn was planned for 12 seconds at maximum thrust. But that test was repeatedly delayed for reasons not specified by SpaceX.

NASA says SpaceX was solely responsible for not getting the test fire completed in its allotted window prior to a Friday launch of an Atlas V rocket with a military payload from nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Now, the government shutdown over immigration reform means that NASA personnel who would have been working with SpaceX on the test fire have been sent home.

Still, SpaceX says the government shutdown will not interfere with its operations at the Kennedy Space Center, and the company is confident that the Falcon Heavy will conduct its first flight as planned before the end of the month. However, a firm launch date has not been announced, and the end of the month will be here sooner rather than later.

When it does launch, Falcon Heavy will be carrying Elon Musk's personal midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity. "Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn’t blow up on ascent," Musk said in a Tweet December 1st.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original report