SpaceX launches 64 satellites in new rideshare mission

SpaceX has launched a total of 64 satellites into Sun-synchronous low-Earth orbit (LEO) as part a rideshare mission that took off from the Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, US.

The Spaceflight SSO-A: SmallSat Express mission was carried out by a reusable SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on behalf of US-based rideshare and mission management provider Spaceflight Industries.

Around 13 to 43 minutes after lift-off, the rocket performed a series of six deployments to allow Spaceflight to assume control of the deployment sequences.

Spaceflight has completed the deployment of the satellites over a five-hour period.

After completing stage separation, the first stage of Falcon 9 landed on the ‘Just Read the Instructions’ drone-ship, which was located in the Pacific Ocean.

It was the third mission carried out the by the reusable rocket booster, which was previously used to support the Bangabandhu Satellite-1 and Merah Putih missions in May and August, respectively.

The latest mission also marks the largest single rideshare mission conducted from a US-based launch vehicle.

It follows a number of delays due to adverse weather and last-minute rocket checks, reported CNN.com.

Spaceflight Industries president Curt Blake said: “SSO-A is a major milestone for Spaceflight and the industry.

“We’ve always been committed to making space more accessible through rideshare.

“This mission enabled 34 organisations from 17 different countries to place spacecraft on orbit. It’s also special because it was completely dedicated to smallsats.”

The Spaceflight SSO-A: SmallSat Express mission includes 15 MicroSats and 49 CubeSats developed by several governmental and commercial entities.

The satellites are equipped with various payloads such as technology demonstrations, imaging systems and educational research activities.