SpaceX Launches 130 Payloads Including Google AI Satellite on Transporter-18 Mission

The mission went as planned, with the Falcon 9's first stage returning to land at Vandenberg approximately 7.5 minutes after launch, marking its 25th flight. The upper stage facilitated the deployment of the 130 payloads over about 11 minutes, commencing 54.5 minutes post-launch.

Among the prominent payloads was a pathfinder spacecraft for Project Suncatcher, which aims to establish an AI constellation in low Earth orbit. This satellite will evaluate the performance of tensor processing units (TPUs), integral to the Suncatcher project, particularly their resilience to space radiation and heat dissipation.

Additionally, Cowboy Space launched its Reason-1 satellite, designed to test energy transfer via a high-power laser from low Earth orbit to ground receivers. This technology could facilitate the creation of data centers in space.

Starfish Space's Otter servicing satellite also made its debut on this mission. The company expressed excitement about this launch, which represents crucial progress in satellite servicing technology.

The mix of payloads featured various types, such as cubesats, microsats, hosted payloads, and included two spacecraft with reentry vehicles. Four orbital transfer vehicles were also part of the mission, with plans for 41 payloads to be deployed later.

While Transporter-18 did not set a new record for the total number of payloads launched in a single mission—it came close to the record of 143 set during SpaceX's Transporter-1 mission in January 2021—it was part of a particularly busy day for the company. In addition to Transporter-18, SpaceX launched NASA's Crew-13 astronaut mission and planned to launch the NROL-97 flight for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office later that evening, both from Florida's Space Coast.