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Elon Musk wants to launch giant SpaceX Mars rocket Feb. 6

The historic flight of the Falcon Heavy slipped from January. Mars awaits.

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Jan. 27, 2018 2:56 p.m. PT

Elon Musk's SpaceX repeatedly missed the promised January launch date of the Falcon Heavy, a massive rocket intended to orbit Mars. Now Musk is hoping the next-generation rocket can fire up its 27 engines Feb. 6, he said in a tweet Saturday.

Aiming for first flight of Falcon Heavy on Feb 6 from Apollo launchpad 39A at Cape Kennedy. Easy viewing from the public causeway.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2018

Musk's post follows a Friday tweet from Chris Gebhardt, assistant managing editor and writer for NASASpaceFlight.com.

Guys... are you ready!? #FalconHeavy LAUNCH DATE!
February 6th, with a backup on the 7th.
Launch time is 13:30-16:30 EST (18:30-21:30 UTC)#ItsHappening
— Chris G - NSF (@ChrisG_NSF) January 26, 2018

Gebhardt added to his initial tweet with a second saying that Feb. 6 is the earliest possible date for Falcon Heavy lift-off, subject to more slipping, especially if Musk's company pushes back the launch date of another of its rockets, a Falcon 9.

And please remember, this is the NET (No Earlier Than) date. It is the plan right now, but it is subject to change as all launch dates are. Remember, too, there's a Falcon 9 launch before this that needs to happen first. https://t.co/Ud7Z9IY8Oj
— Chris G - NSF (@ChrisG_NSF) January 26, 2018

The Falcon Heavy rocket is set to carry a payload of Musk's own cherry red Tesla Roadster and play David Bowie's song "Space Oddity."

First published Jan. 26, 1:34 p.m. PT
Update, Jan. 27 at 2:56 p.m.: Adds Musk's Saturday tweet and reworks story to account for that.