Shutdown means SpaceX can’t test its Falcon Heavy rocket, creating further delays
As long as the government shutdown continues, SpaceX won’t be able to test fire the company’s new Falcon Heavy rocket. The company needs support from the US Air Force to do the test, but too many personnel are furloughed and cannot help SpaceX conduct the firing. And that means the company can’t yet set a definitive launch date for the Falcon Heavy’s first flight, which was targeted for the end of January.
The Falcon Heavy is supposed to fly from a historic site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral Florida, called LC-39A. It’s the same pad that was used to launch the Apollo missions to the Moon, as well as numerous Space Shuttle flights. And right now, SpaceX is gearing up to do an important test at the site called a…
