SpaceX is targeting a 1-hour window that opens at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday to launch the Bandwagon-5 mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The mission was originally scheduled for Monday morning but was scrubbed due to unfavorable recovery weather conditions. A backup launch opportunity is available Wednesday if needed.
The Bandwagon-5 mission is carrying a number of smaller satellites and re-entry vehicles into orbit for a rideshare mission. The re-entry vehicles will eventually be used to carry some or all of those satellites back to Earth.
Observers over Central Florida may witness a phenomenon called a 'space jellyfish' as the rocket climbs to orbit. This optical effect occurs when the sun illuminates the upper atmosphere while it remains dark below. When rocket exhaust reaches those high altitudes, the gases expand and are lit by sunlight, creating a glowing, bulb-shaped cloud with wispy trails resembling tentacles, producing an otherworldly appearance.
The launch marks the 19th flight for the first stage booster, which has previously launched SpaceX and NASA's Crew-9 mission, along with 10 Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will attempt to land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.