SpaceX successfully completed the Transporter-18 mission, launching 130 satellites and small spacecraft into orbit using a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch took place on October 1 at 18:32 UTC from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission included various payloads, such as CubeSats, microsatellites, and experimental systems.
Google launched an experimental satellite for Project Suncatcher to test its TPU tensor processors in space. The company aims to evaluate radiation resistance and thermal management for potential orbital AI computing infrastructure. Additionally, Cowboy Space sent the Reason-1 satellite to test laser-based energy transmission from orbit to Earth.
The mission also featured the first Otter service satellite from Starfish Space, designed for in-orbit maintenance. The payload manifest included two spacecraft with return capsules and four orbital tugs carrying 41 additional payloads for later deployment. This mission ranks among the largest group launches for SpaceX, though it falls short of the 143-satellite record set in 2021.
The Falcon 9 first stage, booster B1082, completed its 25th flight by landing at the LZ-4 site approximately seven and a half minutes after liftoff. This launch was part of a busy day for SpaceX, which also conducted the crewed Crew-13 mission to the ISS and scheduled a Falcon Heavy launch for the National Reconnaissance Office.
