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Transporter 18

· Falcon 9 · Vandenberg, California

T−03Days:04Hours:53Min:34Sec
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Transporter 18
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01

Mission

Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.

Falcon 9 will launch Transporter 18 from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This is the 25th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, B1082, which previously launched Starlink 15-22. Following stage separation, the first stage will return to Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4).

Mission briefing from SpaceX

SpaceX is targeting Thursday, October 1 for Falcon 9’s launch of the Transporter-18 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The 58-minute launch window opens at 11:18 a.m. PT. If needed, there is a backup opportunity on Friday, October 2 at the same time.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.

This will be the 25th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched USSF-62, OneWeb Launch 20, NROL-145, and 21 Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Transporter-18 is a dedicated smallsat rideshare mission. There are 130 payloads on this flight, including cubesats, microsats, hosted payloads, and two spacecraft with reentry vehicles and four orbital transfer vehicles carrying 41 of those payloads to be deployed at a later time. To date, SpaceX has launched more than 1,800 payloads to orbit across our entire Rideshare program.

There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.

Liftoff
11:18 PDT at the pad
Window
– 58 min
Webcast
Rocket
Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX
Destination
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Launch site
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Latest update
GO for launch.

1h5min

Mission duration

58min

Launch window

25th

Flight of B1082

115th

SpaceX launch of 2026

02

Countdown

All times approximate · shown in your time zone, CEST · Timeline: SpaceX

  1. T−00:38:00SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
  2. T−00:35:00RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
  3. T−00:35:001st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins1st stage
  4. T−00:16:002nd stage LOX loading begins2nd stage
  5. T−00:07:00Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
  6. T−00:01:00Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
  7. T−00:01:00Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
  8. T−00:00:45SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
  9. T−00:00:03Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
  10. T−00:00:00Falcon 9 liftoff

03

Mission profile

From liftoff to landing

Mission profile of Transporter 18, from liftoff to landing
Graphic: SpaceXFull resolution

04

Flight

All times approximate · shown in your time zone, CEST · Timeline: SpaceX

  1. T+00:01:05Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
  2. T+00:02:151st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)1st stage
  3. T+00:02:181st and 2nd stages separate
  4. T+00:02:262nd stage engine starts (SES-1)2nd stage
  5. T+00:02:31Boostback burn starts1st stage
  6. T+00:02:55Fairing separation2nd stage
  7. T+00:03:25Boostback burn ends1st stage
  8. T+00:06:041st stage entry burn begins1st stage
  9. T+00:06:131st stage entry burn ends1st stage
  10. T+00:07:081st stage landing burn begins1st stage
  11. T+00:07:251st stage landing1st stage
  12. T+00:08:262nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)2nd stage
  13. T+00:51:032nd stage engine starts (SES-2)2nd stage
  14. T+00:51:072nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)2nd stage
  15. T+00:54:22SPRITE deploys, manifested by NASAPayload
  16. T+00:54:25UASAT-NANO deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  17. T+00:54:28Sateliot_6 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  18. T+00:54:32GHGSAT C19 Aidan deploys, manifested by SFLPayload
  19. T+00:54:35Flock 4J-18 deploys, manifested by SEOPSPayload
  20. T+00:54:38GOMX-5 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  21. T+00:54:45GHGSAT C18 Eleanor deploys, manifested by SFLPayload
  22. T+00:54:51CRIMSON-1 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  23. T+00:54:54KENSAT deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  24. T+00:55:04JACK-006 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  25. T+00:55:14LEMUR-2-MDQURESHI deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  26. T+00:55:18GYEONGGISat-2A deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  27. T+00:55:21Sateliot_5 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  28. T+00:55:31Flock 4J-17 deploys, manifested by SEOPSPayload
  29. T+00:55:34GPDM deploys, manifested by NASAPayload
  30. T+00:55:40LEMUR-2-VARUN deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  31. T+00:55:44Watchdog v0-A deploys, manifested by Maverick Space SystemsPayload
  32. T+00:55:53Sateliot_8 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  33. T+00:56:03Sateliot_7 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  34. T+00:56:07Tomorrow-S12 deploys, manifested by Tomorrow.io Companies Inc.Payload
  35. T+00:56:15FOREST-20 Araucaria deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  36. T+00:56:18LEMUR-2-WHITEHOTCREW deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  37. T+00:56:21GuaraniSat-2 deploys, manifested by SEOPSPayload
  38. T+00:56:31AE4La deploys, manifested by SEOPSPayload
  39. T+00:56:44BRO-23 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  40. T+00:56:48IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET-2-21 deploys, manifested by OHB ItaliaPayload
  41. T+00:56:55eLEAF-01 deploys, manifested by SEOPSPayload
  42. T+00:56:55Blackwing Space Baby Bird deploys, manifested by SEOPSPayload
  43. T+00:56:59Tomorrow-S13 deploys, manifested by Tomorrow.io Companies Inc.Payload
  44. T+00:57:12IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET-2-24 deploys, manifested by OHB ItaliaPayload
  45. T+00:57:23Watchdog v0-MK deploys, manifested by Maverick Space SystemsPayload
  46. T+00:57:26IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET-2-18 deploys, manifested by OHB ItaliaPayload
  47. T+00:57:36Newsat-64 deploys, manifested by SatellogicPayload
  48. T+00:57:41HERMES deploys, manifested by SEOPSPayload
  49. T+00:57:52IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET-2-20 deploys, manifested by OHB ItaliaPayload
  50. T+00:57:56Newsat-56 deploys, manifested by SatellogicPayload
  51. T+00:58:00IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET-2-22 deploys, manifested by OHB ItaliaPayload
  52. T+00:58:07IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET-2-17 deploys, manifested by OHB ItaliaPayload
  53. T+00:58:12IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET-2-23 deploys, manifested by OHB ItaliaPayload
  54. T+00:58:27Sateliot_9 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  55. T+00:58:38Terra Nova deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  56. T+00:58:41DHRUVA SPACE LEAP-2 deploys, manifested by DHRUVA SPACE PRIVATE LIMITEDPayload
  57. T+00:58:44Merlin-1 deploys, manifested by SatellogicPayload
  58. T+00:58:50MERIDIAN FCL deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  59. T+00:59:05IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET-2-19 deploys, manifested by OHB ItaliaPayload
  60. T+00:59:19BRO-32 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  61. T+00:59:23Newsat-57 deploys, manifested by SatellogicPayload
  62. T+00:59:28ION SCV Absolute Andreas deploys, manifested by D-OrbitPayload
  63. T+00:59:31GNOMES-10 via Muon Space deploys, manifested by Muon SpacePayload
  64. T+00:59:40ICEYE-2 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  65. T+00:59:54Athene 1 Seranis Mission deploys, manifested by OHB Orbital AccessPayload
  66. T+01:00:05ION SCV Empowering Ekaterina deploys, manifested by D-OrbitPayload
  67. T+01:00:22ICEYE-3 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  68. T+01:00:26OSSIE deploys, manifested by UARX SpacePayload
  69. T+01:00:31ICEYE-4 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  70. T+01:00:34BOB deploys, manifested by D-Orbit S.p.A.Payload
  71. T+01:00:57F2G1 deploys, manifested by BAE SystemsPayload
  72. T+01:01:00KEVIN deploys, manifested by D-Orbit S.p.A.Payload
  73. T+01:01:25Project Suncatcher M1 deploys, manifested by Planet LabsPayload
  74. T+01:01:32Tanager-2 deploys, manifested by Planet LabsPayload
  75. T+01:01:39STUART deploys, manifested by D-Orbit S.p.A.Payload
  76. T+01:02:10ION SCV Alluring Alexander deploys, manifested by D-OrbitPayload
  77. T+01:02:21Altair-1 deploys, manifested by Loft OrbitalPayload
  78. T+01:03:02Element-1 deploys, manifested by CesiumAstroPayload
  79. T+01:03:06SSPICY Otter deploys, manifested by Starfish SpacePayload
  80. T+01:03:24Reason-1 deploys, manifested by Cowboy Space CorporationPayload
  81. T+01:04:05HotSat-3 deploys, manifested by Global SatelliteVu Ltd.Payload
  82. T+01:04:30ICEYE-1 deploys, manifested by ExolaunchPayload
  83. T+01:04:51Star Catcher Protostar deploys, manifested by Star CatcherPayload
  84. T+01:04:56W-9 deploys, manifested by Varda Space IndustriesPayload
  85. T+01:05:15W-8 deploys, manifested by Varda Space IndustriesPayload

05

Falcon 9 Block 5

SpaceX · Reusable

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.

634 flights, 633 successful, first flown May 2018

  • BoosterB1082 · 25th flight · previously Starlink Group 15-22 · Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4)

70m

Height

3.7m

Diameter

549t

Mass at liftoff

23t

Payload to low Earth orbit

7,607kN

Thrust at liftoff

06

Launch site

Vandenberg, California

Space Launch Complex 4E

Coordinates
34.632° N · 120.611° W
Local time
06:24:25 PDT
This year
62nd launch from this pad in 2026
Pad turnaround
5 days since the previous launch
Vandenberg

07

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