SpaceX has completed its third Falcon 9 launch in under 48 hours, sending a diverse array of payloads into a mid-inclination orbit as part of its Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission. The rocket lifted off at 8:48 p.m. EDT Monday (0048 UTC Tuesday) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Credit: SpaceX
This marks SpaceX’s 245th orbital mission from the SLC-40 pad and the 300th orbital launch overall from the site. It is also the third mission in the company’s rideshare program specifically targeting mid-inclination orbits, following Bandwagon-1 and Bandwagon-2, and builds on the momentum of the 13 previous Transporter missions to polar orbits.
The mission was conducted under near-perfect launch conditions, with the 45th Weather Squadron forecasting a 95% chance of favorable weather—a continuation of the ideal conditions seen during the CRS-32 launch earlier that day.
The Falcon 9’s first stage booster, identified as B1090, successfully executed its third launch, having previously supported the O3b mPOWER-E mission and Crew-10. About eight minutes after liftoff, the booster landed at Landing Zone 2, marking just the 12th touchdown at this site compared to 51 at the nearby Landing Zone 1.
An artists’ rendering of two Korea 425 Project satellites in low Earth orbit. Graphic: Thales Alenia Space
Among the notable payloads was South Korea’s fourth synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, part of the Korea 425 Project—a five-satellite military surveillance program backed by a $530 million contract awarded in 2018. This constellation, built by Korea Aerospace Industries with technology from Hanwha Systems Corporation and Thales Alenia Space, is slated for completion by 2025, with one more satellite to launch. Thales Alenia Space highlighted the advanced radar, avionics, and data systems it contributed to the project, noting the satellite’s ability to perform high-agility maneuvers for precision surveillance.
Joining the ride was Tomorrow.io’s Tomorrow-S7 satellite, the latest in its weather-monitoring constellation. This 6U CubeSat, weighing just 12 kg, will orbit at 515 km altitude, capturing all-weather temperature and humidity data for meteorological research. It’s the seventh satellite in the Tomorrow Microwave Sounder series and ninth overall for the company.
The mission also included a historic re-entry experiment by German aerospace startup Atmos Space Cargo. Its Phoenix 1 capsule is Europe’s first privately developed and FAA-approved re-entry vehicle. Designed to collect vital in-flight and re-entry data, Phoenix 1 carries scientific instruments including a German M-42 radiation detector, Japan’s Micro Imaging Device, and the UK’s SpaceLab and bioreactor.
Originally planned to re-enter over Africa, the mission’s trajectory was adjusted, with splashdown now expected roughly 2,000 km off Brazil’s Atlantic coast. To overcome communication blackout during re-entry, Atmos will employ a chase plane equipped with a satellite terminal to track and gather visual and telemetry data in real-time—a pioneering step for future missions.
Atmos anticipates extreme thermal and aerodynamic conditions during Phoenix 1’s descent, potentially leading to capsule destruction. However, all collected data will feed into the development of the next-generation Phoenix 2, slated for launch in 2026 with onboard propulsion and improved re-entry control. The company recently secured €13.1 million in European funding to support its continued development.
SpaceX’s rapid-fire launch cadence and international collaborations continue to demonstrate the company’s growing role as a key enabler in global space access, delivering innovative platforms and critical satellites to orbit with unprecedented frequency.
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