Musk: 'Launching In A Week Or So'

SpaceX conducted a successful test-fire of all 27 Merlin rocket engines on the Falcon Heavy on Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida.

After the test, SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted that the hold-down firing was "good" and that the first flight would be "Launching in a week or so."

When it does launch, the Falcon Heavy will become the most powerful in operation. It will generate a liftoff thrust of 5.1 million pounds.

But GeekWire reports that Musk is working to managed expectations, because a lot has to go right, all at the same time. It "requires the simultaneous ignition of 27 orbit-class engines. There’s a lot that could go wrong there," he said. I encourage people to come down to the Cape and see the first Falcon Heavy mission. It’s guaranteed to be exciting. … There’s a real good chance that that vehicle does not make it to orbit. I want to make sure to set expectations accordingly.”

The payload for the first test flight is Musk's personal cherry-red Tesla Roadster, which is intended for an elliptical orbit that should take it as far as Mars. In a tweet last month, Musk said he loves "the thought of a car drifting apparently endlessly through space and perhaps being discovered by an alien race millions of years in the future.”

(Image from Elon Musk tweet)

FMI: Original report