SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 rocket from Vandenberg, California, USA at 0648 GMT on 15 April 2023. The rocket launched the Transporter 7 mission which comprised one main payload the 800 kg Turkish imaging spacecraft IMECE, and 46 small satellite payloads (including those carried by space tugs), plus four hosted payloads. The small satellites were released into near polar sun-synchronous 511 x 495 km orbit at 97.4 degrees inclination. After two more upper stage burns, the main satellite payload for the mission,IMECE, was released into a 679 x 668 km Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit at 98.2 degrees inclination. The upper stage was then burned to re-enter itself over the Pacific.
The reusable B1063 first stage, on its tenth flight, successfully returned itself back to the Californian coast where landed on Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg.
B1063 comes back to land at LZ-4 after Falcon 9 launch of Transporter-7 mission. Courtesy: SpaceX
Of the main delivery carrying “tug” spacecraft, Vigoride 6 (VR-6) delivery spacecraft carried six spacecraft, ION-SCV 6 (Masterful Matthaeus) carried five. A full listing of all the spacecraft is available on the Seradata launch and spacecraft database. For those who do not have access to this, Jonathan McDowell lists them on his space report: Jonathan’s Space Report – Latest Issue (planet4589.org)
