SpaceX Successfully Launches 140 Payloads on Transporter-15 Mission

SpaceX successfully launched 140 payloads aboard its Falcon 9 rocket during the Transporter-15 mission on November 28, 2025, at 10:44 a.m. PST from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This mission marked the 19th flight in SpaceX's Smallsat Rideshare program.

The launch followed a previous scrub due to a ground systems issue, demonstrating SpaceX's ability to overcome challenges efficiently. The Falcon 9 rocket utilized a veteran first stage booster, designated B1071, which completed its 30th flight.

This achievement makes B1071 one of the most flown rockets in the SpaceX fleet and the second booster to reach this milestone, having previously supported various missions including those for the National Reconnaissance Office and NASA's Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission.

Approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1071 performed an autonomous landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You,' marking the 165th landing on this vessel and the 540th booster landing for SpaceX overall.

The deployment of payloads began over 54 minutes post-launch, starting with the Toro2 spacecraft and concluding with NASA's R5 CubeSat nearly two hours later. The rideshare program enables multiple payload providers to launch their spacecraft at reduced costs, which is crucial for the growing satellite market.

Among the companies participating in this mission was Seops Space, which deployed 11 spacecraft using innovative mechanisms such as the Equalizer Flex and Keystone Separation System. Notable payloads included those from Alba Orbital and NASA-backed CubeSats.

Another key player, Exolaunch, successfully integrated and deployed 59 customer satellites, including various interesting projects such as the T.MicroSat-1 from Taiwan's Tron Future Tech and a European Space Agency-backed CubeSat.

The mission's top payload was the Formosat-8 satellite from the Taiwan Space Agency, which is part of an ambitious plan to establish an eight-satellite constellation for optical remote sensing, with full deployment anticipated by 2031.

The successful Transporter-15 mission underscores SpaceX's critical role in advancing the satellite industry and enhancing access to space for various organizations.