SpaceX launched 131 satellites into orbit during its Transporter 12 mission on 14 January 2025. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, at 2:09 p.m. EST. This mission added to the company’s rideshare programme, aimed at delivering payloads for multiple customers in a single launch. The first stage booster of the Falcon 9 executed a successful ground landing at Vandenberg’s Landing Zone 4 approximately 7.5 minutes after liftoff.

Key Details of Transporter 12

According to a report by space.com, Transporter 12 is the 12th mission in SpaceX’s Transporter series, designed to carry multiple payloads for commercial and government clients. 37 of the satellites on board were from Planet Labs, a San Francisco-based company specialising in Earth observation. These included 36 “SuperDove” cubesats and a single Pelican-2 satellite, designed for high-resolution imaging and equipped with advanced AI-powered solutions to analyse data in near real-time. The mission marked the second flight for this specific Falcon 9 booster, which had previously been used for the NROL-126 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.

Achievements and Statistics

This mission represents SpaceX’s continued leadership in deploying rideshare payloads. With the completion of Transporter 12, over 1,100 satellites have been launched across 13 rideshare missions for more than 130 clients, including 11 Transporter and two Bandwagon missions. The deployment process for the 131 payloads into low Earth orbit was scheduled over a 90-minute period, starting 54 minutes after launch.

SpaceX’s rideshare programme remains a critical service for companies like Planet Labs, offering economical and efficient access to space for satellite operators. As the global demand for satellite launches grows, missions like Transporter 12 play a significant role in advancing capabilities across multiple industries.