SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy passed its static-fire test on Wednesday, readying the rocket for launch “in the next week or so,” according to founder Elon Musk. As detailed in a new Atlantic story, the Falcon Heavy, if launched successfully, will surpass the Delta IV Heavy as the most powerful rocket in operation. The static-fire test completed Wednesday involved the Falcon Heavy igniting its engines, producing a mass of smoke, but staying put. Though Musk signaled that a launch is likely imminent, delays are par for the course for major rockets, especially ones carrying dreams as grand as Musk’s. “We’re stepping through this carefully, it’s a beast of a vehicle,” SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell said earlier this month.
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