Falcon Heavy Test Fire

SpaceX Can't Perform Its Falcon Heavy Test Fire Because of the Government Shutdown

With all non-essential government services suspended, the U.S. Air Force cannot support launch operations at Cape Canaveral.

By Jay Bennett

SPACEX

SpaceX will not be able to conduct a static fire test of its Falcon Heavy rocket during the government shutdown. The suspension of all non-essential U.S. government services that began on Saturday, January 20, will prevent the U.S. Air Force from providing the required support to conduct launch operations, including the Falcon Heavy static fire.


The static fire test of the Falcon Heavy will ignite all 27 engines on the triple-core rocket for the first time. The test will require support from the 45th Space Wing, which operates Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and provides launch support for the nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center.

The Falcon Heavy will perform the test fire and eventually launch from KSC's Launch Complex 39A. Prior to the test, the 45th Space Wing will evacuate certain facilities and oversee safety protocols according to the weather and range conditions of the day.

“Due to the shutdown removing key members of the civilian workforce, the 45th Space Wing will not be able to support commercial static fires taking place on KSC," an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement provided to Aviation Week. "Without our civilian workforce, the 45th SW is unable to support launch operations as well."

Lawmakers will meet to vote on a spending bill that would end the shutdown at noon Eastern time on Monday, January 22. However, if Congress fails to come to an agreement and the shutdown continues, launch operations across the country would be affected by the furloughed federal employees.

“We remain hopeful that the Congress will quickly resolve their differences and put our partners in the Air Force and NASA back to doing their important work as soon as possible," a SpaceX spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Popular Mechanics."This shutdown impacts SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy demonstration, which is critical for future NSS [national security space] missions. It also impacts critical missions for our customers, including important international allies scheduled to launch shortly from Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force Base, as well as upcoming missions this spring to resupply the International Space Station."

SpaceX was able to conduct a Falcon Heavy fueling test on the night of Saturday, January 20. Puffs of vapor were seen coming from the rocket at Kennedy Space Center as technicians filled the rocket with liquid propellants and tested systems short of firing the engines. The static test fire, however, will have to wait for additional Air Force support. SpaceX was going to attempt to launch the Falcon Heavy by the end January, but the static fire delay caused by the government shutdown likely means the launch will be delayed as well.

The impacts of a government shutdown are numerous and far-reaching, but one of the effects is that rockets won't be flying from Florida or California until a spending bill is passed.