Full Breakdown
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches South Korean Earth-Observation Satellite on Multi-Payload Rideshare from Vandenberg
5/3/2026, 12:58:31 PM
Launch Overview
On the night of May 2-3, 2026, a Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, during a 37-minute window opening at 11:59 p.m. PT (2:59 a.m. EDT). The payloads included the primary CAS500-2 Earth-observation satellite (KARI) and 44 secondary satellites. Booster B1071 landed at Landing Zone 4 about 7.5 minutes after liftoff.
Background & Context
The Compact Advanced Satellite 500 (CAS500) program aims for a five-satellite constellation for disaster monitoring and crop observation. CAS500-1 launched on a Soyuz in 2021, CAS500-3 flew on South Korea’s Nuri rocket in 2025, and CAS500-2, delayed by the Russia-Ukraine war, secured a SpaceX rideshare slot for 2026.
Payload Manifest
Primary: CAS500-2 (KARI).
Secondary (44): Exolaunch (21 CubeSats + 18 MicroSats), Argotec S.r.l. (seven HEO MicroSats for the ESA-supported IRIDE constellation), Loft Orbital (six satellites), True Anomaly (Jackal autonomous vehicle, fourth flight), Planet Labs (Pelican satellites), Lynk Global (two Lynk Tower satellites), EarthDaily Analytics (two satellites), GalaxEye Mission Drishti (India’s largest privately built Earth-observation satellite), Impulso.Space, and other small-sat operators.
Timeline
- 11:59 p.m. PT: launch window opens.
- ~7.5 min: booster lands at LZ-4.
- ~60 min: CAS500-2 separates.
- 1 h 16 min – 2 h 22 min: secondary payloads released in two sequences.
Data & Statistics
Total payloads: 45 (1 primary, 44 secondary). Booster B1071 made its 33rd flight, 34th landing at LZ-4 and the 608th overall SpaceX booster landing. Deployment lasted ~1.5 hours; Exolaunch placed 21 CubeSats and 18 MicroSats, and IRIDE added seven MicroSats.
Official Statements & Responses
Space Launch Delta 30 highlighted the mission’s role in “peaceful space cooperation, regional stability and a free and open Indo-Pacific.” Exolaunch said the flight “reflects how Exolaunch is scaling alongside growing launch demand.” Loft Orbital called the launch a “step-change in both scale and execution” for its constellation program.
Public Concerns
Local authorities warned that the booster’s return-to-base landing could generate one or more sonic booms audible in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties, with intensity dependent on weather conditions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on booster data: one lists B1071’s 33rd flight, another its 34th landing at LZ-4, while a third notes the 608th overall booster landing. The payload total is consistently 45, though some reports refer to “44 other payloads.” Launch dates for CAS500-4 and CAS500-5 are not yet announced.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This mission reflects the strength of the U.S.–Republic of Korea alliance and Vandenberg’s enduring role in assuring access to space for our nation, allies and partners,” — Space Launch Delta 30, pre-launch statement
- “This mission reflects how Exolaunch is scaling alongside growing launch demand,” — Jeanne Allarie, chief investor relations officer, Exolaunch
- “This next launch represents a step-change in both scale and execution for Loft,” — Pierre-Damien Vaujour, CEO and Co-founder, Loft Orbital
