Falcon Heavy Launch (Not pictured) – SpaceX Rocket Launches — Courtesy: Shutterstock — John Huntington
Residents of Florida’s Space Coast might hear some loud booms on Wednesday night as SpaceX launches a satellite the size of a school bus using a Falcon Heavy rocket.
The Jupiter 3 (Echostar XXIV) communications satellite will be launched by SpaceX from Kennedy Space Center Launchpad 39A on Wednesday at 11:04 p.m.
The Falcon Heavy was the most potent rocket until NASA’s Space Launch System launched to the Moon last year. Compared to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which has one first-stage booster and nine Merlin engines, the Falcon Heavy has 27 Merlin engines and three first-stage boosters.
The two side rocket boosters will return to land at Cape Canaveral Landing Zones 1 and 2 around eight minutes following liftoff. The two sonic booms will be felt and heard by residents of Central Florida as the rockets break the sound barrier as they return to Earth.
The 45th Weather Squadron of the Space Force estimates that there is an 85% chance of good weather for takeoff. Cumulus clouds from isolated coastal showers will be the main worry.
The satellite operator Hughes claims that Jupiter 3 will allow marine communications, in-flight Wi-Fi, and HughesNet satellite internet coverage throughout North and South America.
The heavy-lift rocket from SpaceX is intended for heavier payloads. The enormous Jupiter 3 spacecraft has 14 solar panels that are 10 stories long and weigh roughly 9 metric tons.
Prior to being transported to Cape Canaveral by a special Antonov commercial cargo aircraft, the satellite was constructed by Maxar in Palo Alto, California. To load up heavy cargo, the plane’s nose can be hinged open.
This week, SpaceX plans to launch another rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using its less powerful Falcon 9 rocket. On Thursday night, the business intends to launch a new batch of Starlink internet satellites.
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Born and raised in South Florida, Krystal is a recent graduate from the University of Miami with professional writing experience at the collegiate and national news outlet levels. She’s a foodie who loves all things travel, the beach, & visiting new places throughout Florida.