SpaceX’s triple-booster Falcon Heavy rocket was on track to launch before the end of this year, but the team behind the mission’s payload said on Tuesday that the flight has been pushed to July 2026 at the earliest.
Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic explained that while Griffin-1 lunar mission preparations are making good progress, work continues on engine qualification testing and system readiness, with the team confirming next summer as the next viable launch window.
The mission, when it gets underway, will carry NASA and commercial payloads that include Astrobotic’s CubeRover and Astrolab’s FLIP rover in an ambitious endeavor aimed at demonstrating precision landing and advanced lunar infrastructure.
Griffin-1 is particularly important for Astrobotic as it will mark its second try at reaching the lunar surface following its failed Peregrine Mission One mission in early 2024 when a propellant leak shortly after launch ruined its flight.
Falcon Heavy
Creating just over five million pounds of thrust at launch, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is one of the most powerful rockets in routine operational use today (SpaceX’s Starship, which is still being tested, creates a record-breaking 17 million pounds of thrust).
The vehicle comprises three Falcon 9 boosters, the workhorse rocket that’s launched on a regular basis by SpaceX for various missions that include ongoing deployments of its Starlink internet satellites.
The Falcon Heavy has flown 11 times since its inaugural flight in 2018, and is used when missions involve factors such as heavier payloads, larger satellites, or higher orbital deployments.
The rocket’s most recent launch took place from the Kennedy Space Center in October 2024 when it sent the Europa Clipper on its way to study Europa, one of Jupiter’s many moons. The spacecraft recently passed Mars as it continues its journey to Jupiter.
When possible, Falcon Heavy missions bring home the two side boosters shortly after launch, in the same way that SpaceX lands its Falcon 9 booster upright in its regular solo missions. This allows the boosters to be reused for multiple flights, saving on launch costs.
The Heavy’s core booster, which flies further than the two side boosters, is often expended.
SpaceX’s long-term plan is to retire the Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 in favor of the next-gen Starship, though the transition is likely to be gradual while the new rocket confirms its reliability.
