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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Business
Samantha Masunaga

SpaceX aiming for first Falcon Heavy launch on Feb. 6

SpaceX is aiming to launch its long-awaited Falcon Heavy rocket in less than two weeks.

Chief Executive Elon Musk tweeted Saturday that the Hawthorne, Calif., space company is targeting Feb. 6 for the demonstration launch of its heavy-lift rocket.

The Falcon Heavy will launch from the former Apollo launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Musk has said the rocket's payload will be his midnight cherry Tesla Roadster, which will be headed toward Mars.

SpaceX performed a static test firing of the rocket on Wednesday.

Musk has tried to downplay expectations for the Falcon Heavy's first flight, saying there was a "good chance" the rocket would not make it to orbit on its first go.

The Falcon Heavy is intended to help SpaceX win more commercial and national security launches that require more power than the company's workhorse Falcon 9 rocket.

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