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| Bandwagon-5 prepares for launch. Image credit: SpaceX. |
Launch of Bandwagon-5
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 1104 UTC, or 0704 local time (EDT). This was carrying Bandwagon-5, the latest SpaceX rideshare mission carrying 32 payloads to a mid-inclination orbit for various customers, including the second flight of SpaceX's Starfall cargo re-entry system. The full launch manifest can be found beneath the "read more" break. This was the 698th flight of the Falcon 9, and the 19th flight of booster B1085, which successfully landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. [Source: SpaceX]
International Space Station Activities
Pyotr Dubrov (MS-29, Roscosmos) set up automatic cameras to photograph landmarks in Africa. Anna Kikina (MS-29, Roscosmos) unloaded water from the Progress MS-35 cargo spacecraft. Anil Menon (MS-29, NASA) configured tools and inspected tethers ahead of the two upcoming spacewalks. Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney (both Crew-13, NASA) continued their cellular bio-printing study, and Delaney also carried out cancer research. Joshua Kutryk (Crew-13, CSA) performed exercise research. Sergey Teteryatnikov (Crew-13, Roscosmos) trained to operate the European Robotic Arm. [Source: NASA]
Other notes
- Starlink Group 15-15, originally scheduled to launch at 2310 UTC, was scrubbed and has been rescheduled for tomorrow. [Source: SpaceX]
- The Long March 8A originally scheduled to launch on Thursday has been pushed back to Sunday. [Source: Next Spaceflight]
- The launch of NROL-195 aboard a Falcon 9 has been scheduled for no earlier than 5th November. [Source: Next Spaceflight]
- SpaceX confirmed during their Q3 earnings report that, during Starship Flight 15, they will attempt to catch both stages of the rocket for the first time, pending FAA approval. [Source: SpaceX]
- ESA lost a test model of their Space Rider cargo spaceplane in a failed drop test earlier this month. [Source: European Spaceflight]
- NASA published progress updates and some more details about the early rover missions of their Moon Base programme, including the VIPER rover and the crewed vehicles being developed by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost. [Source: NASA]
- UPDATE: NASA launched a sounding rocket from Poker Flat in Alaska on this day. See 25th October for details.
