Overview
- Falcon 9, which flew Sunday, placed South Korea’s 500-kilogram CAS500-2 Earth-imaging satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit used for mapping and then landed its booster back at Vandenberg.
- The first stage completed its 33rd flight and returned to Space Launch Complex 4E, underscoring SpaceX’s high reuse that helps keep launch costs lower and the cadence high.
- The rideshare carried a broad roster that included three Planet Pelican imaging satellites, seven Argotec Hawk spacecraft for Italy’s IRIDE program, six EarthDaily satellites built by Loft Orbital, GalaxEye’s first satellite, two Iceye radar craft, Unseenlabs’ RF monitor, two Lynk direct-to-phone satellites, and a True Anomaly Jackal.
- Planet says one of the Pelican satellites is owned by the Swedish Armed Forces under a multiyear deal announced in January, reflecting growing defense use of commercial Earth imagery.
- CAS500-2 had been slated to launch on Russia’s Soyuz in 2022, and its shift to Falcon 9 followed geopolitical disruptions, as SpaceX now lines up two more Vandenberg Starlink launches on Tuesday, May 5, and Saturday, May 9.