Acquiring signal…

All launches

SpaceX

CAS500-2 & Others

Success

Falcon 9 Block 5

T-minus to liftoff

HOURS

MINUTES

SECONDS

Sunday May 3 2026, 07:00:00 UTC

StatusSuccess

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5

OrbitSun-Synchronous Orbit

PadSpace Launch Complex 4E

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Mission

Ride-share of 45 satellites including: * CAS500-2 (KASA, South Korea) The South Korean CAS500-1 and -2 satellites will image the Earth in pan-chromatic and multi-spectral modes using the AEISS-C (Advanced Earth Imaging Sensor System) payload, with a ground resolution of 0.5 m in panchromatic mode and 2 m in color mode. * Pelican-7, 8 & 9 (Planet Labs) Pelican is a constellation of very high resolution imaging satellites, designed and manufactured by Planet Labs. The commercial constellation will consist of 32 SmallSats with potential for further expansion, and aims to provide improved spatial resolution and response times over Planet’s existing SkySat and Dove constellations.

Launch Timeline

Countdown

T-00:38:00

GO for Prop Load

T-00:35:00

Stage 1 LOX Load

T-00:35:00

Prop Load

T-00:16:00

Stage 2 LOX Load

T-00:07:00

Engine Chill

T-00:01:00

Startup

T-00:01:00

Tank Press

T-00:00:45

GO for Launch

T-00:00:03

Ignition

In-flight

T+00:00:00

Liftoff

T+00:01:05

Max-Q

T+00:02:15

MECO

T+00:02:18

Stage 2 Separation

T+00:02:22

Stage 1 Flip

T+00:02:26

SES-1

T+00:02:31

Booster Boostback Burn Startup

T+00:03:06

Fairing Separation

T+00:03:26

Booster Boostback Burn Shutdown

T+00:06:13

Entry Burn Startup

T+00:06:24

Entry Burn Shutdown

T+00:07:15

Stage 1 Landing Burn

T+00:07:22

Stage 1 Landing

T+00:08:12

SECO-1

T+00:54:08

SES-2

T+00:54:11

SECO-2

T+00:59:54

Payload Deployment Sequence Start

T+01:22:08

Payload Deployment Sequence End

T+01:36:06

SES-3

T+01:36:07

SECO-3

T+02:13:53

SES-4

T+02:13:54

SECO-4

T+02:22:18

Payload Deployment Sequence Start

T+02:30:46

Payload Deployment Sequence End

Quick facts

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5

OrbitSun-Synchronous Orbit

PadSpace Launch Complex 4E

SiteVandenberg SFB, CA, USA

WindowSunday May 3 2026, 06:59:00 UTC→Sunday May 3 2026, 07:36:00 UTC

Vehicle

FamilyFalcon

Height70 m

Diameter3.7 m

Stages2

ReusableYes

LEO capacity22,800 kg

Track record624/625 successful

Landings610/615

All launches

SpaceX

CAS500-2 & Others

Success

Falcon 9 Block 5

T-minus to liftoff

HOURS

MINUTES

SECONDS

Sunday May 3 2026, 07:00:00 UTC

StatusSuccess

Scrub riskLOW

Go95%

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5

OrbitSun-Synchronous Orbit

PadSpace Launch Complex 4E

Launch CodexDossier

Every source for this mission in one place — news, social, references, notes & the exact timeline.

Explore

Acquiring satellite view…

General trajectory

Space Launch Complex 4E

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Launching

South

189° · S

34.632, -120.611

Orbital elements (TLE)

3 element sets

CAS500-2 & Others Deploy 1

Apogee521 km

Perigee512 km

Period95.0 min

Inclination97.44°

CAS500-2 & Others Deploy 2

Apogee600 km

Perigee579 km

Period96.5 min

Inclination97.63°

Launch heading 189° · S from CAS500-2 & Others PO.

Parking orbitCAS500-2 & Others PO› conemedium

1 70081U 26100A 26123.29739583 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9995

2 70081 97.4400 021.9480 0264191 149.4777 007.2000 15.76630589 07

Deployment orbitCAS500-2 & Others Deploy 1medium

1 70081U 26100A 26123.32754630 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9999

2 70081 97.4420 021.9491 0006790 073.3813 254.6000 15.16574186 08

Deployment orbitCAS500-2 & Others Deploy 2medium

1 70081U 26100A 26123.38408565 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 9998

2 70081 97.6318 021.9120 0015161 275.4947 000.8000 14.92732875 05

Pre-launch TLEs from Dillon's Space Page. Estimated before flight — the real orbit is confirmed post-launch.

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Mission

Reusable Hardware

All boosters →

First Stage · Flight-provenB1071

active33rd flight

Flights35

Landings35/35100%

Fastest turn19d 16h

Recovered · RTLS · LZ-4· 0 km downrange

50d 16h since last flight

Falcon 9 Block 5 booster first used for the NROL-87 mission.

Previous flights · 34

Q's read

Weather & scrubLOW risk

Weather Go95%Wind4 m/sGusts5 m/sCloud47%Temp15°C

Limiting rule: No flight through cumulus cloud with top at or above the freezing level.

max cloud-top 3916 m above freezing 3589 m (26% cover in 10 nmi) · no GLM flashes within 25 nmi / 30 min, likely cirrus / stratiform ice rather than cumulus · 7.3 ≥ 6 ft significant wave height

Launch Timeline

Countdown

T-00:38:00

GO for Prop Load

T-00:35:00

Stage 1 LOX Load

T-00:35:00

Prop Load

T-00:16:00

Stage 2 LOX Load

T-00:07:00

Engine Chill

T-00:01:00

Startup

T-00:01:00

Tank Press

T-00:00:45

GO for Launch

T-00:00:03

Ignition

In-flight

T+00:00:00

Liftoff

T+00:01:05

Max-Q

T+00:02:15

MECO

T+00:02:18

Stage 2 Separation

T+00:02:22

Stage 1 Flip

T+00:02:26

SES-1

T+00:02:31

Booster Boostback Burn Startup

T+00:03:06

Fairing Separation

T+00:03:26

Booster Boostback Burn Shutdown

T+00:06:13

Entry Burn Startup

T+00:06:24

Entry Burn Shutdown

T+00:07:15

Stage 1 Landing Burn

T+00:07:22

Stage 1 Landing

T+00:08:12

SECO-1

T+00:54:08

SES-2

T+00:54:11

SECO-2

T+00:59:54

Payload Deployment Sequence Start

T+01:22:08

Payload Deployment Sequence End

T+01:36:06

SES-3

T+01:36:07

SECO-3

T+02:13:53

SES-4

T+02:13:54

SECO-4

T+02:22:18

Payload Deployment Sequence Start

T+02:30:46

Payload Deployment Sequence End

Quick facts

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5

OrbitSun-Synchronous Orbit

PadSpace Launch Complex 4E

SiteVandenberg SFB, CA, USA

WindowSunday May 3 2026, 06:59:00 UTC→Sunday May 3 2026, 07:36:00 UTC

Vehicle

FamilyFalcon

Height70 m

Diameter3.7 m

Stages2

ReusableYes

LEO capacity22,800 kg

Track record624/625 successful

Landings610/615