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SpaceX · Falcon 9

Pandora / Twilight rideshare mission

SUCCESSAstrophysicsSSO
Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 01:44 PM UTC
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
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Mission Overview

The Pandora small satellite was selected in 2021 as an inaugural mission in NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers Program. It includes a 0.45-meter telescope that will improve our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres by disentangling exoplanet signals from their host stars, as well as studying host star variability with long-duration observations of 20 unique planets through visible-light photometry and near-infrared spectroscopy. Also launching on this launch are 39 other ride-share payloads under the "Falcon 9 Twilight mission" manifested by Exolaunch, including satellites from Spire Global and Kepler Communications.

Payloads
1
Type
Astrophysics
Vehicle
Falcon 9
Window
01:19 PM UTC – 02:16 PM UTC

Rocket

SP
Falcon 9
SpaceX

Launch Site

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Orbit

SSO·Sun-Synchronous

Launch Window

Opens01:19 PM UTC
Closes02:16 PM UTC

Launch Site Weather

18°CSunny
Wind8 km/h W
Humidity73%
Visibility16 km

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