A collection of tiny satellites for a variety of customers ranging from the U.S. military to the Vatican shared a Falcon 9 rocket ride to orbit Monday afternoon from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Liftoff of the SpaceX booster occurred at 2:35 p.m. from Space Launch Complex-4 although a persistent June gloom doomed hopes of catching more than a glimpse of the flight. Sonic booms from the booster’s return to Vandenberg near Lompoc could be heard in the Santa Maria Valley, downtown Santa Barbara and other locales.
The rocket carried 72 different payloads stowed in the nose cone for the Transporter-8 mission, a dedicated rideshare flight including CubeSats, MicroSats, a re-entry capsule, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time.
After completing its tasks, the Falcon’s first-stage booster successfully and loudly returned to Landing Site 4 west of the launch pad less than 8 minutes after liftoff, becoming the 200th landing of an orbital class rocket for SpaceX.
Monday marked the ninth flight for the rocket’s first-stage booster.
Deployment of the satellites, some sporting quirky names such as Spacebees, Grégoire and Blackjack Aces, began an hour after liftoff and wrapped up some 30 minutes later.
In addition to the U.S. Space Force, assorted international and American customers had satellites aboard this mission with a picture of the various payloads stacked for their trip looking like a successful Tetris puzzle.
Rideshare missions aim to provide small satellite operators a less expensive trip to orbit.
“We’re flying some really cool payloads on this mission including several different types of Earth observation and imaging, orbital transfer vehicles, student research projects and several payloads intended to demonstrate and grow in-space technologies for our customers,” Jessie Anderson, a SpaceX production manager, said.
“Our customers today come from all over the world supporting teams from 21 different countries and include a range of organizations from DARPA, or Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, to the Vatican,” Anderson added.
Experimental satellites for the Space Force will demonstrate two-way communications with ground devices as well as experiment with novel methods for the Defense Department to tactically leverage small satellite capabilities.
“Cultivating multiple paths to space for experimental satellites is imperative to maintain continued access as space becomes further congested and contested,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Shea, Space System Command’s director of the DoD’s Space Test Program.
Among nano satellites, Tiger-4 will serve as a cell tower in space, adding to the OQ Technology’s 5G Narrowband Internet of Things constellation.
The”GEI-SAT” nanosatellite is intended to measure and quantify methane emissions in the oil and gas industry with high spatial and temporal resolution.
One microsatellite will attempt an orbital reconnaissance demonstration by taking highly accurate measurements of spacecraft and objects in orbit to reduce the threat of collisions.
The Vatican satellite, which will be operated by the Italian Space Agency, will broadcast statements from Pope Francis on the theme of hope and peace in English, Italian and Spanish, according to the National Catholic Register.
The Varda Space Industries payload has been likened to an orbital factory that will manufacture pharmaceutical products in space and return them to Earth.
The Monday afternoon launch from the West Coast marked the second mission for SpaceX with the first taking place from Florida to carry a stack of Starlink satellites into orbit.
Monday’s Falcon launch from Vandenberg was the 40th for SpaceX in 2023, and the firm’s 12th from the West Coast this year.
