A Falcon 9 rocket stands poised to launch from the Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. File Photo: SpaceX
A SpaceX Falcon 9, launched from California, will ferry dozens of customer satellites from around the world into a Sun-synchronous Earth orbit shortly after midnight local time on Tuesday.
The Transporter-17 mission, with 81 payloads aboard, is part of the company’s Smallsat Rideshare Program, which also includes the mid-inclination Bandwagon missions as well as the dawn-dusk Sun-synchronous orbit Twilight flight.
Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Station is scheduled during a launch window that opens at 12:10 a.m. PDT (0310 EDT / 0710 UTC).
Spaceflight Now will have live coverage beginning about 30 minutes prior to liftoff.
