It's Launch Day! Here's what you need to know about tonight's SpaceX Falcon Heavy liftoff
It's launch day!
SpaceX is on track to launch a Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A on Friday, April 28.
Here's what you need to know for tonight's launch:
Liftoff is scheduled for 7:29 p.m. EDT
Launch window will remain open for 57 minutes
ViaSat-3 Americas and Arcturus communications satellites sit atop the three-core stage rocket
Weather forecast is 20% "go" at the launch pad.
Space Launch Delta 45 forecasters said Wednesday about a Friday launch: "Strong to isolated severe storms will develop and push through the spaceport by late afternoon and into the evening."
The Falcon Heavy will fly on an east trajectory.
SpaceX will not attempt to retrieve boosters. Because of the weight of the satellites and the trajectory, there will not be enough fuel left in the boosters to successfully land on drone ships or at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
This will mark the first time Falcon Heavy flies with the deliberate goal of expending all boosters.
If it launches on time, Heavy will become the Space Coast's 20th launch of the year.
Full coverage of the launch kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday at floridatoday.com/space and will feature in-depth coverage, photos, charts and more. Ask our space team reporter Emre Kelly questions and strike up a conversation. We will also be hosting SpaceX's live webcast of the launch.
Rob Landers is a veteran multimedia journalist for the USA Today Network of Florida. Contact Landers at 321-242-3627 or rlanders@gannett.com. Instagram: @ByRobLanders Youtube: @florida_today
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: It's Launch Day! Here's what you need to know about tonight's SpaceX Falcon Heavy liftoff
