Updates: SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida

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Update: Liftoff of Falcon Heavy with the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite at 8:26 p.m. EDT Sunday, April 30! The launch from Kennedy Space Center kicks off a nearly five-hour spacecraft separation process, which is part of the reason why the rocket's three boosters did not attempt landings.

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Follow live updates as SpaceX targets 8:26 p.m. EDT Sunday, April 30, for the launch of a three-core Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Originally slated to fly at 7:29 p.m. EDT, SpaceX said teams are now targeting the end of the window due to strong ground winds at pad 39A. That means Falcon Heavy, which is essentially three Falcon 9 rockets strapped together, will need to fly at 8:26 p.m. EDT or delay to another day. Weather was last calculated at 95% "go."

Packed in Falcon Heavy's payload fairing is ViaSat-3 Americas, a commercial communications satellite. This mission will not include local booster landings at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, nor will it include a drone ship landing.

Follow live updates below:

Liftoff of Falcon Heavy!

8:26 p.m. EDT: Liftoff of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center! Reminder that this mission does not include booster landings at the Cape, so no sonic booms this time. Spacecraft separation will start in about four-and-a-half-hours.

–Emre Kelly

T-minus 5 minutes to launch

8:21 p.m. EDT: Now T-minus 5 minutes to liftoff from pad 39A. Here's a breakdown of the long post-launch timeline:

  • T-plus 00:01:09: Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)

  • 00:03:05: Side booster engine cutoff (BECO)

  • 00:03:08: Side boosters separate

  • 00:04:13: 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)

  • 00:04:17: 1st and 2nd stages separate

  • 00:04:23: 2nd stage engine starts (SES-1)

  • 00:04:51: Fairing deployment

  • 00:08:06: 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)

  • 00:29:42: 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)

  • 00:31:46: 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)

  • 04:22:19: 2nd stage engine starts (SES-3)

  • 04:23:14: 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-3)

  • 04:32:15: ViaSat-3 Americas deploys

  • 04:38:46: Gravity Space’s GS-1 deploys

  • 04:45:17: Astranis's first MicroGEO satellite deploys

–Emre Kelly

T-minus 10 minutes

8:16 p.m. EDT: Continuing to push toward liftoff at 8:26 p.m. EDT. ViaSat-3 communications satellite is on internal power and all payloads are "go" for launch. Here's the remainder of tonight's timeline:

  • T-minus 00:07:00: Falcon Heavy begins engine chill

  • 00:00:59: Flight computer commanded to begin final pre-launch checks

  • 00:00:45: SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch

  • 00:00:20: Propellant tanks pressurize for flight

  • 00:00:06: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start

  • 00:00:00: Falcon Heavy liftoff

–Emre Kelly

T-minus 15 minutes to Falcon Heavy

8:11 p.m. EDT: At T-minus 15 minutes, Falcon Heavy continues to wrap up the fueling process at pad 39A. After liftoff at 8:26 p.m. EDT, the rocket will fly an eastern trajectory before ditching its three boosters in the Atlantic Ocean.

–Emre Kelly

Still counting to 8:26 p.m. EDT

8 p.m. EDT: Teams in KSC's Launch Control Center continue counting down to liftoff at 8:26 p.m. EDT. So far, no showstoppers.

–Emre Kelly

No SpaceX booster landings tonight

7:45 p.m. EDT: Reminder that tonight's Falcon Heavy launch will not include booster landings at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Because of the weight of the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite and its need to reach geostationary orbit, the three-core rocket won't have enough fuel left over to flip around and return for recovery. This also applies to the center core. This mission marks the first time that SpaceX launches the rocket with the deliberate goal of expending it into the Atlantic Ocean.

On the plus side, weather is significantly better than earlier this week. Scroll to the photo below to see a direct lightning strike of pad 39A's suppression system, courtesy of Thursday's intense storms.

–Emre Kelly

This image provided by SpaceX shows a direct lightning strike to the lightning protection system at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39-A, where a SpaceX triple-core Falcon Heavy awaited launch on Thursday, April 27, which was eventually scrubbed due to poor weather.
This image provided by SpaceX shows a direct lightning strike to the lightning protection system at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39-A, where a SpaceX triple-core Falcon Heavy awaited launch on Thursday, April 27, which was eventually scrubbed due to poor weather.

Falcon Heavy fueling underway

7:33 p.m. EDT: SpaceX confirms fueling of the three-core Falcon Heavy rocket at Kennedy Space Center is now underway. Teams targeting liftoff at 8:26 p.m. EDT, or the end of this evening's window. The latest weather update from the Space Force shows conditions are 95% "go" for liftoff.

–Emre Kelly

T-minus one hour

7:26 p.m. EDT: At T-minus one hour to liftoff of Falcon Heavy, SpaceX will soon – in the next few minutes – decide whether or not to start fueling the rocket at pad 39A. If so, we could be looking at an on-time liftoff at 8:26 p.m. EDT assuming ground winds cooperate.

–Emre Kelly

T-minus 90 minutes

6:55 p.m. EDT: SpaceX continues counting down to this evening's liftoff of Falcon Heavy at 8:26 p.m. EDT. Strong ground winds continue to be a concern. Next biggest milestone is fueling; timeline below:

  • T-minus 00:53:00: SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load

  • 00:50:00: 1st stage RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins

  • 00:45:00: 1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins

  • 00:35:00: 2nd stage RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins

  • 00:18:30: 2nd stage LOX loading begins

  • 00:07:00: Falcon Heavy begins engine chill

  • 00:00:59: Flight computer commanded to begin final pre-launch checks

  • 00:00:45: SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch

  • 00:00:20: Propellant tanks pressurize for flight

  • 00:00:06: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start

  • 00:00:00: Falcon Heavy liftoff

–Emre Kelly

KSC weather has calmed down

6:20 p.m. EDT: This evening's powerful ground winds, which forced SpaceX to push Falcon Heavy's launch to the end of the window at 8:26 p.m. EDT, have died down a bit at Kennedy Space Center. Remains to be seen if conditions are still in the red, but teams have plenty of time to wait for weather to improve.

–Emre Kelly

SpaceX targeting new launch time

5:30 p.m. EDT: SpaceX teams in Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center have opted to delay this evening's Falcon Heavy launch from pad 39A due to strong ground winds. Liftoff is now targeted for 8:26 p.m. EDT, or the end of today's window. We can confirm powerful gusts are moving through the KSC area.

–Emre Kelly

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy remains on Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL Thursday April 28, 2023. Launch of the rocket, carrying the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite, was scrubbed due to technical issues.  Mandatory Credit: Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy remains on Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL Thursday April 28, 2023. Launch of the rocket, carrying the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite, was scrubbed due to technical issues. Mandatory Credit: Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Updates: SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket from Florida's KSC