Skip to main content
The homepageVoxVox logo
The homepageVoxVox logo

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Watch SpaceX launch its Falcon Heavy rocket into space

The launch will be a test of the most powerful rocket currently in use.

by Shirin Ghaffary
Updated
Shirin Ghaffary
Shirin Ghaffary was a senior Vox correspondent covering the social media industry. Previously, Ghaffary worked at BuzzFeed News, the San Francisco Chronicle, and TechCrunch.

SpaceX is launching its newest rocket, the Falcon Heavy, into space today.

The rocket was designed to bring humans into space and, if successful, will be able to lift more payload than any other American rocket since the Saturn V, the rocket NASA used for its moon landings. For this test run, Falcon Heavy will carry a cherry-red Tesla Roadster, owned by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Update: SpaceX successfully launched Falcon Heavy into space. Here’s a view from the rocket of “Space Man” in the driver’s seat of the its cargo, as it heads out into space:

SpaceX YouTube video

Elon Musk posted a photo of the car earlier this week:

The launch is now scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 11:20 am PT / 2:20 pm ET. It was postponed from its original time of 10:30 am PT / 1:30 pm ET due to weather.

Update: The launch has been delayed until 12:45pm PT/ 3:45pm ET.

You can watch the launch below:

Musk, who has said he thinks humans will arrive on Mars in 2025, tweeted the proposed flight profile for his new rocket:

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Google CEO Sundar Pichai both tweeted support for the launch:

In case anything does not go to plan, there is a launch window set for Wednesday, Feb. 7, between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm PT / 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm ET.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

See More:

Most Popular

  1. Virginia Democrats’ irresponsible new plan to save their gerrymander
  2. Take a mental break with the newest Vox crossword
  3. We’re asking the wrong question about the hantavirus outbreak
  4. Trump’s China policy is nearly the exact opposite of what everyone expected
  5. Are far-right politics just the new normal?

More in Technology

Podcasts
Are humanoid robots all hype?Are humanoid robots all hype?
Podcast
Podcasts

AI is making them better — but they’re not going to be doing your chores anytime soon.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Future Perfect
The old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemicThe old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemic
Future Perfect

Glycol vapors, explained.

By Shayna Korol
Future Perfect
Elon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wantsElon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wants
Future Perfect

It’s not about who wins. It’s about the dirty laundry you air along the way.

By Sara Herschander
Life
Why banning kids from AI isn’t the answerWhy banning kids from AI isn’t the answer
Life

What kids really need in the age of artificial intelligence.

By Anna North
Culture
Anthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque messAnthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque mess
Culture

“Your AI monster ate all our work. Now you’re trying to pay us off with this piece of garbage that doesn’t work.”

By Constance Grady
Future Perfect
Some deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapySome deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapy
Future Perfect

A medical field that almost died is quietly fixing one disease at a time.

By Bryan Walsh