In summer, the head of SpaceX and Tesla Elon Musk has announced that his aerospace company plans to begin test flights of a heavy rocket, the Falcon Heavy in November-December of this year. But it seems that the company’s plans have changed — according to Futurism, the date of the first test launch was postponed. Apparently, the flight will take place no earlier than January 2018.
The launch of the Falcon Heavy carry is not the first time. This primarily is due to the high complexity of the rocket design is to combine three booster one is quite difficult, even with all of the necessary development. United in one design of the rocket will cause a serious vibration in flight that can negatively impact integrity.
In addition, the 27 engines have to achieve synchronization, which is also quite difficult. Boosters of the rocket were tested in September, so time was really short. The rocket is so huge that to take her to the spaceport will have a couple of months.
Now, when the date of the first launch was postponed, it is likely that this time it will be a new flight plan to make a few weeks after carrying out firing tests of the new engines for the first time they are launched synchronously.
However, a specific date, again no one calls. Apparently, this time, to be able at least to postpone the start for some time.
The Falcon Heavy launch delayed till next year
Vyacheslav Larionov