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SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

CSG-3

Launched

January 3, 2026 · 02:09 UTC

Launch Successful
CSG-3

Image: SpaceX

Summary

CSG-3 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on January 3, 2026 at 02:09 UTC. It was SpaceX's 620th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 7,174th orbital launch attempt. It was the 527th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 1st this year. Booster B1081 flew for the 21st time and landed at Landing Zone 4. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). It reached a 629 × 634 km orbit inclined 97.9°. One object from this launch is catalogued.

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Vehicle
Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX
Booster
  • B1081 · flight 21 · Return to Launch Site at Landing Zone 4 · landed35/35 landed here · 31 days after its previous flight, Starlink Group 15-10
Mission
Earth Science · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)for ASI
Milestone
527th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 1st this yearSpaceX's 620th launch1st this yearhumanity's 7,174th orbital launch attempt1st orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Simulate in Flight Club

Orbit: as tracked

97.9°Inclination
629 × 634 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
97.2 minPeriodfrom mean elements
189.6°Ascending node
285 d agoElement epoch2026-01-03 12:57 UTC · stale

CSG FM3 · NORAD 67304 · 2026-001 · Space-Track

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID
2026-001A
Epoch
2026-01-03 12:57:59 UTC
Mean motion
14.81516625 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0003509
Inclination
97.8603°
Ascending node
189.6422°
Arg. of perigee
175.6961°
Mean anomaly
184.4283°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
7
B*
-0.000062453

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile. Booster return drawn from padside's representative arc.

Flight timeline

14 steps, T+1 min 12 s to T+12 min 52 s
  1. T+1M12SMax-Q
  2. T+2M15SMECO
  3. T+2M18SStage 2 Separation
  4. T+2M22SStage 1 Flip
  5. T+2M26SSES-1
  6. T+2M31SBooster Boostback Burn Startup
  7. T+2M37SFairing Separation
  8. T+3M11SBooster Boostback Burn Shutdown
  9. T+6M37SEntry Burn Startup
  10. T+7M2SEntry Burn Shutdown
  11. T+7M53SStage 1 Landing Burn
  12. T+8M23SStage 1 Landing
  13. T+10M31SSECO-1
  14. T+12M52SPayload Separation

Catalogued objects

1 catalogued: 1 payload; 1 still in orbit

  • CSG FM3 · NORAD 67304 · in orbit

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

CSG-3 is an Earth observation satellite for the Italian Space Agency, part of a reconnaissance constellation using synthetic aperture radars operating in the X-band.

Official page: SpaceX

Pad

Map of Space Launch Complex 4E

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

239th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 1st this year · 853rd from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Jan 2, 6:09 PM PST, at night

303 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

16 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAOpen in maps

Updates

Launch success.

Cosmic_Penguin · Jan 3, 2026 · source

Show 9 earlier updates

  • Spacecraft separation.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 1/3/2026 · source

  • Liftoff.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 1/3/2026 · source

  • Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started

    LL2 · 1/3/2026 · source

  • Tweaked T-0.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 1/2/2026 · source

  • Go for launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/31/2025 · source

  • Now targeting Jan 03 at 02:09 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/30/2025 · source

  • NET December 31 LT, to be confirmed.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/29/2025 · source

  • Scrubbed due to pad GSE problem, new date to be confirmed (NET December 31 UTC per https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt).

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/29/2025 · source

  • Tweaked T-0.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/28/2025 · source

Questions

When did CSG-3 launch?

CSG-3 launched on January 3, 2026 at 02:09 UTC.

Where can I watch CSG-3?

Coverage: SpaceX CSG-3; Live: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from California with Earth observation satellite for Italy; COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Mission. Watch the replay

What rocket launched CSG-3?

Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet

Where did CSG-3 launch from?

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Jan 2, 6:09 PM PST local time at the pad.

Did the booster land?

Booster B1081 flew for the 21st time and landed at Landing Zone 4.

What orbit did CSG-3 reach?

It reached a 629 × 634 km orbit inclined 97.9°.

How many satellites did CSG-3 launch?

1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).