spacetoday.net: SpaceX launches more than 100 smallsats on Falcon 9 rideshare mission

SpaceX launches more than 100 smallsats on Falcon 9 rideshare mission

Posted: Sat, Jan 15, 2022, 10:56 AM ET (1556 GMT)
Falcon 9 launch of Transporter-3 (SpaceX)

A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched more than 100 smallsats on a rideshare mission Thursday. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 10:25 am EST (1525 GMT) on the Transporter-3 mission. The rocket's upper stage deployed its payload of 105 spacecraft into a sun-synchronous orbit. Several companies that operate satellite constellations used the launch to replenish and augment their fleets, with some first-time customers on the launch as well. The flight was SpaceX's third smallsat dedicated rideshare mission, after two launches last year. This was also the first of as many as four such launches planned for 2022.