Update: SpaceX confirms launch will take place at 20:45 GMT. Pre-loading of fuel has begun and livestream will commence 15mins before launch.
As with anything Elon Musk does this won’t just be the launch of one of the largest rockets in the world.
On board is Musk’s first ever Tesla sports car which will then be sent on a 400 million km to Mars.
Oh and the car will be playing David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’.
Thanks to the risky nature of the test the payload will consist of Musk’s Cherry Red Tesla Roadster and a dummy version of Space X’s new spacesuit in the driving seat.
While just getting the rocket into the air will be an achievement, SpaceX have also set the ambitious goal of land all three rockets safely back on Earth after the launch.
“Should it work,” explains Musk. “Falcon Heavy will be the most powerful rocket in the world by a factor of two and the highest payload launch vehicle to reach orbit after the Saturn V moon rocket.”
When is the Falcon Heavy launch happening?
SpaceX and NASA have confirmed that the launch is scheduled for the 6 February during a window of around three hours between 18:30-21:30 GMT.
If for whatever reason they cannot launch today then they will simply attempt it again at the same time tomorrow.
How can I watch the Falcon Heavy launch?
Like all of NASA’s major launches, you’ll be able to tune in and watch SpaceX try and launch Falcon Heavy live.
Around 17:45 GMT we’ll embed the livestream at the top of this article.
What is Falcon Heavy?
Falcon Heavy is the largest rocket built by Elon Musk’s private space company SpaceX. It will one of the most powerful rockets ever built and is the next step in SpaceX’s journey towards building a rocket large enough to take humans to Mars.
It is comprised of three smaller Falcon 9 rockets effectively strapped together.
While it can’t compete with NASA’s iconic Saturn V Moon rocket which generated 7.5 million pounds of thrust, Falcon Heavy will take the current top spot as being the rocket able to lift the most amount of cargo into space.
Once fully operational it will have the thrust of 18 Boeing 747 passenger jets and be able to lift the equivalent of a Boeing 737 airliner filled with fuel, luggage and passengers into space.