SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 Pandora / Twilight rideshare mission
Falcon 9 Block 5
Status
Success
Date
11 JAN 2026
13:44
Mission Overview
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.
Rocket
Falcon 9 Block 5
Mission Type
Astrophysics
Orbit
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Stages
2
Livestream
Rocket Details
Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.
Height
70 m
Diameter
3.65 m
Launch Mass
549 T
Thrust
7,607 kN