SpaceX launched its second rocket of the day from Cape Canaveral Landing Zone after hoisting aloft a rideshare mission known as Bandwagon-3. The Falcon 9 booster created a sonic boom as it returned to Earth, becoming the second space-related event to rattle the Space Coast on April 21.
This was SpaceX’s third rideshare mission, allowing private and government companies to launch small payloads such as small satellites without purchasing a full rocket launch. Bandwagon-3 carried three main payloads: Korea’s ADD 425Sat-3, Tomorrow Companies Inc.’s Tomorrow-S7, and Atmos Space Cargo’s PHOENIX re-entry capsule.
The PHOENIX capsule is the first of its kind, featuring an inflatable atmospheric decelerator for safe reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. This technology is unique to Atmos Space Cargo, a European company aiming to affordably return life science cargo from space.
Other upcoming launches include SpaceX’s Starlink 6-74, set to occur on April 24, and the Amazon Kuiper mission, scheduled for no earlier than April 28. The next launch window for both missions is yet to be determined.
Source: https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/spacex/2025/04/21/spacex-falcon-9-rocket-launches-bandwagon-3-mission-from-florida-cape-canaveral/83140763007