At 8:50 a.m. ET a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission dubbed “Twilight” launched with 40 payloads onboard including the first tranche of 10 satellites from Kepler Communications for their optical data relay constellation.
The launch took place from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The successful launch of the 10 300 kg sized satellites is an important milestone for Kepler as the company can begin commercial operations of its much anticipated optical data relay constellation once the satellites are in their final orbit and commissioned.
In a press release Kepler said once operational “the network will provide real-time connectivity, advanced computing, and hosted payload capabilities, creating a cloud environment on orbit for critical commercial and sovereign space missions.”
Kepler said today’s satellites include customer payloads “including Earth-observation payloads hosted on Kepler’s platform and Kepler’s collaboration with Axiom Space, which will use the network to enable on-orbit data center nodes for future human spaceflight and commercial station operations.”
The mission also provides a boost in investor confidence in Canadian space companies showcasing that a Canadian startup can envision, build and launch satellites with cutting edge technologies.
This day was years in the making and included Kepler literally setting up an advanced vertically integrated manufacturing facility in the heart of downtown Toronto. The strategy was in part possible with partners at the time of the UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory and Sinclair Interplanetary (now a Rocket Lab company).
The launch will also enter the Canadian record books for the most Canadian satellites launched on a single mission and the most by a single company on a launch mission.
Mina Mitry, chief executive officer and co-founder of Kepler Communications. said, “This launch brings a new paradigm to space applications. Our optical relay satellites make it possible for users to rapidly deploy their missions with a real-time, connected, cloud environment, fundamentally changing how data flows on orbit and what space systems can achieve for people and planet.”
Launch replay
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/3MTtlIVlAA — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 11, 2026
Deployment of the 40 manifested payloads started approximately 1 hour, 1 minute after launch (T+ 01:01). Kepler AETHER satellites will began deploying at approximately T+ 02:21 with AETHER-8.
Approximate times of payload deployments
01:01:33 Connecta IoT-14 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:01:49 HYDRA-2 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:01:56 LEMUR-2-KUTAR deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:02:02 Connecta IoT-13 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:02:07 Hawk-13B deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:03:04 Tomorrow-S11 deploys, manifested by The Tomorrow Companies, Inc
01:03:16 Tomorrow-S10 deploys, manifested by The Tomorrow Companies, Inc
01:03:56 Connecta IoT-16 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:04:09 Connecta IoT-15 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:04:36 Hawk-13A deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:06:59 Flamingo-1 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:07:50 Hawk-13C deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
01:08:22 CarbSAR IOD deploys, manifested by SSTL
02:19:56 LEMUR-2-HCS-BAZUS deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:19:59 LEMUR-2-CALLUM-K-J deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:20:01 BlackCAT deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:20:17 LEMUR-2-KATIE deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:20:18 Dcubed-1 / Araqys-D1 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:20:20 LEMUR-2-MARIO-SOUSA deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:20:21 Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) deploys, manifested through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, integrated by Maverick Space Systems
02:20:31 LEMUR-2-SONNENBLUME deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:20:43 LEMUR-2-GRAM-E-SUE deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:21:11 LEMUR-2-WOBLER deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:21:33 LEMUR-2-FIKRETDENGIZ deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:21:41 Acadia-8 deploys, manifested by Capella
02:21:49 Umbra-12 deploys, manifested by Umbra
02:21:56 AETHER-8 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:22:52 ICEYE 2 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:23:11 Acadia-9 deploys, manifested by Capella
02:23:27 AETHER-12 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:23:28 AETHER-11 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:24:09 AETHER-5 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:24:15 ICEYE 1 deploys, manifested by Exolaunch
02:25:00 AETHER-9 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:25:40 AETHER-6 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:26:44 AETHER-4 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:27:58 Pandora deploys, manifested by NASA
02:30:55 AETHER-3 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:32:00 AETHER-7 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications
02:32:59 AETHER-10 deploys, manifested by Kepler Communications