A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch the Transporter-10 rideshare mission, carrying 53 payloads, on March 4, 2024. The mission will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, offering an opportunity for small payloads, including CubeSats and MicroSats, to reach low Earth orbit.
The liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. PST (5:05 p.m. EST, 2205 UTC) with a backup launch opportunity 24 hours later if needed. Live coverage of the mission will be provided by Spaceflight Now starting approximately 30 minutes before liftoff.
SpaceX’s Transporter missions are designed to offer a continuous opportunity for launching smaller payloads to various orbital inclinations. The company’s website advertises the cost of launching a 50kg payload to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at $300,000 with additional mass at $6,000 per kilogram. Additionally, Transporter missions can be launched to mid-inclination low Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, and trans-lunar injection, with launches scheduled approximately every four months to mid-inclination orbit.
The first stage booster, tail number B1081, is expected to touch down at Landing Zone 4 about 7.5 minutes after liftoff. This booster, which has previously flown missions from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, will be making its fifth flight, having supported missions including the launch of Crew-7, a Cargo Dragon mission to the International Space Station, a batch of Starlink satellites, and NASA’s Earth-monitoring PACE spacecraft.
The Transporter-10 mission will deploy 53 payloads, including 28 satellites from Exolaunch and a payload from NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI). The mission is expected to feature technology demonstrations and climate change advancements.
