SpaceX prepares to launch Starfall reentry capsule on Bandwagon 5 mission

SpaceX is scheduled to launch its uncrewed Starfall reentry capsule and 31 customer payloads on the Bandwagon 5 rideshare mission on Monday, October 19, 2026. Spaceflight Now reported that the Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch window opens at 6:30 a.m. EDT during a one hour period. [1]

The mission carries a total of 32 payloads into orbit. Tech Insider reported that the uncrewed Starfall capsule weighs 2,100 kilograms. Spaceflight Now noted that this flight marks the second launch for the Starfall reentry spacecraft. [1][2]

Upon leaving the launch pad, the rocket will travel on a southeasterly trajectory, according to Spaceflight Now. The 45th Weather Squadron forecasted a 55 percent chance of acceptable weather during the launch window, citing potential gusty winds caused by a cold front in southern Florida. [1]

As FTMQ Space reported earlier, SpaceX rideshare missions carry multiple payloads for commercial and defense customers. The company previously scheduled its Bandwagon 6 rideshare mission for April 2027 to launch the NearSpace Launch TROOP F6 spacecraft for space weather monitoring. [4]