SpaceX

Pandora / Twilight rideshare mission

Success

Falcon 9 Block 5

T-minus to liftoff

HOURS

MINUTES

SECONDS

Jan 11, 13:44:50 UTC

StatusSuccess

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5

OrbitSun-Synchronous Orbit

PadSpace Launch Complex 4E

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Mission

The Pandora small satellite was selected in 2021 as an inaugural mission in NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers Program. It includes a 0.45-meter telescope that will improve our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres by disentangling exoplanet signals from their host stars, as well as studying host star variability with long-duration observations of 20 unique planets through visible-light photometry and near-infrared spectroscopy. Also launching on this launch are 39 other ride-share payloads under the "Falcon 9 Twilight mission" manifested by Exolaunch, including satellites from Spire Global and Kepler Communications.

Launch Timeline

In-flight

T+00:01:12

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+00:02:32

Booster Boostback Burn Startup

T+00:02:56

Fairing Separation

T+00:03:26

Booster Boostback Burn Shutdown

T+00:06:08

Entry Burn Startup

T+00:06:19

Entry Burn Shutdown

T+00:07:16

Stage 1 Landing Burn

T+00:07:34

Stage 1 Landing

T+00:08:09

SECO-1

T+00:56:55

SES-2

T+00:56:56

SECO-2

T+01:01:33

Payload Deployment Sequence Start

T+01:08:22

Payload Deployment Sequence End

T+01:43:04

SES-3

T+01:43:05

SECO-3

T+02:14:51

SES-4

T+02:14:52

SECO-4

T+02:19:56

Payload Deployment Sequence Start

T+02:32:59

Payload Deployment Sequence End

Quick facts

VehicleFalcon 9 Block 5

OrbitSun-Synchronous Orbit

PadSpace Launch Complex 4E

SiteVandenberg SFB, CA, USA

WindowJan 11, 13:19:00 UTC→Jan 11, 14:16:00 UTC

Vehicle

FamilyFalcon

Height70 m

Diameter3.65 m

Stages2

ReusableYes

LEO capacity22,800 kg

Track record606/607 successful

Landings593/598

Pandora / Twilight rideshare mission

Mission

Launch Timeline

Quick facts

Vehicle

Pandora / Twilight rideshare mission

Mission

Reusable Hardware

Q's read

Launch Timeline

Quick facts

Vehicle

Q's read

Reusable Hardware