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SUCCESS

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Pandora / Twilight rideshare mission

January 11, 2026 at 01:44 PM UTC

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.

OUTCOME

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Pandora / Twilight rideshare mission completed its mission. The vehicle performed as expected and the payload reached its intended destination. SpaceX logged another successful flight in what has become a routine that was, not long ago, considered impossible to achieve at this pace.

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

VEHICLE

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.

WATCH MISSION REPLAY →
VEHICLE
Falcon 9 Block 5
LAUNCH SITE
Space Launch Complex 4E
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
DATE
January 11, 2026 at 01:44 PM UTC
ORBIT
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
BOOSTER
B1097
MISSION TYPE
Astrophysics
OUTCOME
SUCCESS
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