The Pandora small satellite was selected in 2021 as an inaugural mission in NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers Program. It includes a 0.45-meter telescope that will improve our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres by disentangling exoplanet signals from their host stars, as well as studying host star variability with long-duration observations of 20 unique planets through visible-light photometry and near-infrared spectroscopy. Also launching on this launch are 39 other ride-share payloads under the "Falcon 9 Twilight mission" manifested by Exolaunch, including satellites from Spire Global and Kepler Communications. January 11, 2026 at 13:44 UTC · Launch Successful Falcon 9 Block 5 — SpaceX, to Sun-Synchronous Orbit Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA The world's 7177th orbital launch attempt, and 4th of 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iOWTQxnPzc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwOksb3l0Lc Data: Launch Library 2, The Space Devs. Image by SpaceX via The Space Devs.