CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – It’s almost showtime for SpaceX’s big new rocket with a cherry-red sports car on top.
The Falcon Heavy rocket is poised to blast off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center at 1:30 p.m. today
It’s the long-awaited first test flight for the rocket.
Once it soars it will become the world’s most powerful rocket in use today.
The Heavy is equipped with three boosters and 27 engines designed to provide about 5 million pounds of thrust.
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SpaceX chief Elon Musk has his Tesla Roadster on board. Musk – who’s also heads up the Tesla electric carmaker – says he wanted to add some dramatic flair.
Usually there are things like steel or concrete slabs or mundane experiments on test flights.
SpaceX is targeting a long, oval orbit around the sun for the car.
You can watch the launch on WFLA.com or the WFLA News Channel 8 Facebook page.WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON RIGHT NOW: