Introducing SpaceX’s New Bandwagon Rideshare Service

SpaceX has successfully launched its Bandwagon-1 rideshare mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The mission, which took place on April 7, carried 11 spacecraft for six customers, including a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite for South Korea. This flight marked the 35th Falcon mission of the year for SpaceX and the fourth in April.

The Bandwagon-1 mission is unique because it is the first SpaceX dedicated rideshare flight to a mid-inclination orbit of 45 degrees. Typically, rideshare missions by SpaceX have been focused on providing full global coverage in polar orbits. However, this mission offers another option for customers who want to launch small satellites to a mid-inclination orbit, which keeps the satellites over populated areas of the globe. Previously, Rocket Lab’s Electron vehicle has dominated launches to similar orbits.

One of the key payloads on board the Bandwagon-1 mission is the SAR satellite for South Korea’s 425 Project constellation. This project aims to create a constellation of military Earth observation satellites. While the first satellite launched under this project had an optical imaging payload, the remaining four satellites will use SAR imaging payloads. SAR satellites are capable of obtaining images in darkness or through clouds, complementing the abilities of optical imaging spacecraft. Thales Alenia Space is providing the SAR payloads and system elements for pointing the spacecraft.

The Bandwagon-1 mission also carries several other significant payloads. Japanese firm Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) has its QPS-SAR-7 TSUKUYOMI-II satellite on board. That is the third spacecraft launched by iQPS in the past year and it aims to build a constellation of 24 satellites by fiscal year 2027. Capella Space has its Capella-14/Acadia-4 SAR satellite on board, which will join three other Capella satellites in mid-inclination orbits. Hawkeye 360, a company specializing in locating the source of radio-frequency transmissions on Earth, has two trios of microsatellites on the mission.

The Falcon 9 booster used for this mission, B1073-14, has an impressive flight history. It has previously flown SES-22, ispace’s first HAKUTO-R, Amazonas-6, CRS-27, and nine Starlink missions. After the main engines cut off, the booster separated from the second stage and performed a boostback burn to land at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Overall, the Bandwagon-1 mission signifies SpaceX’s commitment to providing rideshare services to a variety of orbits. By offering a mid-inclination option, the company expands its capabilities and provides more options for customers. The successful launch of this mission further solidifies SpaceX’s reputation as a leader in the space industry.

(Image credit: Julia Bergeron for NSF)