First Stage Fueling Started

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft and SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket stands at Launch Pad 39A on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of launch to Jupiter's icy moon, Europa. Photo credit: SpaceX

Moments ago, mission teams polled "go" to begin fueling the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

The Falcon Heavy is a two-stage rocket with a central core and two side boosters that uses RP-1 (a refined kerosene) and liquid oxygen (LOX) to fuel its 27 Merlin engines, which combine to generate 5 million pounds of thrust. Loading of the RP-1 and LOX is now underway.

These two side boosters previously launched one year ago on NASA's mission to explore the Psyche asteroid, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023. Europa Clipper will be the third Falcon Heavy mission for NASA's Launch Services Program.

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