SpaceX successfully launched its latest ride share mission, Bandwagon-4, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on November 2, 2025, at 1:09:59 a.m. EDT (0509:59 UTC). This mission carried a diverse range of payloads, including a data center demonstration supported by Nvidia and a precursor for a future commercial space station developed by Vast.
The Bandwagon-4 mission is the fourth multi-customer flight aimed at mid-inclination orbit and marks the 18th mission in SpaceX’s small satellite ride share program, which includes the Transporter series. With a 95 percent chance of favorable weather, conditions remained ideal for liftoff, according to the 45th Weather Squadron.
Payload Highlights and Innovations
At the forefront of the mission was the fifth satellite for the Korea 425 Project, developed by South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD). This military reconnaissance satellite is part of a constellation that enhances South Korea’s surveillance capabilities. Following its deployment about 12 minutes post-liftoff, the Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage will execute additional burns before deploying the remaining 17 satellites.
Among the notable payloads is the Haven Demo from Vast, a California-based company. This mission serves as a testbed for systems that will be utilized in its planned commercial space station, Haven-1, which aims for a launch no earlier than May 2026. The mission will host a four-member crew for approximately two weeks, although the crew members have yet to be revealed. Vast has completed the Haven Demo build and is now in the final stages of integration for launch.
Starcloud, a defense and space manufacturing startup, is also making headlines with its Starcloud-1 satellite, weighing 60 kg (132 lb). This satellite will carry an Nvidia H100 GPU, marking the first time a data center-class GPU has been deployed in space. Philip Johnston, cofounder and CEO of Starcloud, noted that space offers nearly unlimited, low-cost renewable energy, potentially making future data centers ten times cheaper than those on Earth. He anticipates a significant shift in data center construction trends within the next decade.
Collaboration and Future Prospects
The deployment of 13 out of the 18 payloads was managed by Germany-based Exolaunch, which included a series of synthetic aperture radar satellites from ICEYE and Space42, along with four pico satellites from Anadolu Ajansı, a Turkish news agency. Another Turkish entity, Fergani Space, contributed its second satellite, FGN-100-D2, part of a larger initiative to establish a GPS-like satellite network for Turkey.
Additionally, Tomorrow Companies Inc. has included two artificial intelligence-driven weather satellites in this mission, further showcasing the growing intersection of space technology and data analytics.
As SpaceX continues to expand its capabilities in the realm of small satellite launches, Bandwagon-4 serves as a testament to the increasing collaboration between private companies and governmental organizations in advancing space exploration and technology. With the successful launch of a variety of innovative payloads, the future of commercial space endeavors looks promising.
