SpaceX flies Starfall capsule again on Bandwagon-5 launch

SpaceX launched its Starfall reentry capsule for the second time on Oct. 20, 2026, when a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:04 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket flew on a southeasterly trajectory. The Starfall capsule was the final payload on the Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission, which carried 32 payloads total.

The capsule separated from the Falcon 9 upper stage 2 hours and 48 minutes after liftoff.

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, tail number B1085, landed successfully on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas approximately nine minutes after liftoff. The booster was on its 19th flight, having previously supported missions including NASA’s Crew-9 and Starlink batches. Its recovery marked the 167th landing on A Shortfall of Gravitas and the 672nd successful Falcon booster landing overall.

Starfall is a disk-shaped reentry vehicle designed to enable affordable, routine access to microgravity for scientific research and in-space manufacturing, according to an FAA environmental assessment from May 2026 and a statement from SpaceX on Oct. 20. The capsule measures 10.2 feet in diameter and 2.5 feet in height, with a mass of 4,600 pounds and a payload return capacity of 2,200 pounds.

Starfall’s first flight occurred on June 23, 2026, as a dedicated demonstration mission to prove controlled flight and reentry survivability through Earth’s atmosphere. SpaceX kept the June 2026 mission confidential until near launch, releasing only a rendering of the capsule, with details emerging only from FAA and FCC filings. Zachary Luppen, an avionics supply chain engineer at SpaceX, described Starfall as a microgravity lab for researchers and entrepreneurs during the June 2026 launch broadcast.

The Bandwagon-5 mission included 31 additional payloads beyond Starfall, including Varda Space Industries’ W-Series 7 capsule and Planet’s Pelican-12 Earth-observation satellite. W-Series 7, an orbital mini-factory, tested microgravity’s effects on the solubility of a cancer drug called Protac. Pelican-12 is part of Planet’s Earth-observation constellation, while other payloads included cubesats and microsatellites from companies like HawkEye 360 and Iceye.

Varda Space Industries’ W-Series capsules are designed to manufacture pharmaceuticals in microgravity, with W-Series 7 testing whether microgravity improves the solubility of the cancer drug Protac. The experiment aims to improve drug solubility for potential cancer treatments by leveraging microgravity crystallization. W-Series 7, Varda’s ninth reentry capsule, is about three times smaller than Starfall. W-8 and W-9, the company’s earlier capsules, were launched on Transporter-18 earlier in October 2026.

Poor weather in the booster recovery zone delayed the Oct. 20, 2026, Bandwagon-5 launch from Oct. 19. The 45th Weather Squadron forecast a 90% chance of acceptable weather for the Bandwagon-5 launch on Oct. 20, citing improved conditions due to a cold front shifting south and reducing high winds. The improved weather forecast contributed to the successful launch after a scrubbed attempt on Oct. 19.

SpaceX did not disclose the contents or purpose of the payload aboard Starfall during the Oct. 20, 2026, Bandwagon-5 mission, continuing a pattern of limited public disclosure. The capsule’s first flight in June 2026 also lacked public announcements, with details emerging only from FAA and FCC filings. This mission’s payload remains unspecified despite Starfall being listed on the official mission page.