SpaceX Falcon Heavy status updates: Now targeting Saturday for test fire at KSC

Emre Kelly, FLORIDA TODAY Published 2:51 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2018 | Updated 4:02 a.m. ET Jan. 20, 2018

SpaceX Falcon Heavy flight animation. The rocket will be the most powerful in the world when it lifts off from Kennedy Space Center in 2018.

SpaceX teams are laying the groundwork for the eventual launch of the company's highly anticipated three-core Falcon Heavy rocket, which will likely lift off on its demonstration flight early this year.

First, teams will test fire the 230-foot-tall rocket's 27 Merlin main engines, a routine operation that will produce data for analysis by engineers. If all goes well after the testing phase, the rocket's inaugural flight from Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A will be scheduled.

See the latest updates on Falcon Heavy's status below (updated Saturday):

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