SpaceX delays Bandwagon-5 launch to October 20
The Bandwagon-5 mission was scrubbed on October 19 because of bad weather in the area where the booster is recovered. It is now scheduled to launch on Tuesday, October 20, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
What happened
- 19 Oct, 08:07 UTC
SpaceX scrubs the launch attempt due to poor weather in the booster recovery zone [1].
- 20 Oct, 10:30 UTC
The new launch window opens for the Falcon 9 rocket [1].
What you need to know
The mission carries 32 total payloads, including 31 customer satellites [1].
A key payload is the Starfall capsule, a microgravity lab for research and manufacturing [1].
The Falcon 9 booster being used, B1085, is flying its 19th mission [1, 2].
The booster will attempt to land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas [1, 2].
It is not confirmed if the Starfall hardware on this flight is a repeat of previously flown equipment [2].
Background
The Bandwagon series is a SpaceX rideshare program for satellite operators who need mid-inclination orbits, which differ from the sun-synchronous orbits used in Transporter missions [2].
The Starfall capsule first appeared in June. It is a small vehicle roughly 2.5 feet tall and 10.2 feet in diameter, designed to support up to 1,000 kilograms [1].
Questions people ask
Why was the launch postponed?
Poor weather conditions in the booster recovery zone led to the scrub [1].
What is the Starfall capsule?
It is a microgravity laboratory that researchers and entrepreneurs can use for innovation and product development [1].
Where this came from
Found through Google Trends and drafted with AI from at least two cited sources. Published automatically after passing our automated checks for sources, wording and safety. It may not have been reviewed by a person yet. Report a correction.