Key Takeaways
- SiriusXM’s SXM‑11 satellite will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday, with a four‑hour window opening at 10:25 p.m. EDT (02:25 UTC).
- The mission uses booster B1085 on its 17th flight; after stage separation it will attempt a landing on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic.
- Weather forecasts show an 80 % chance of favorable conditions at window opening, improving to 90 % later, with forecasters monitoring cumulus and anvil clouds.
- SXM‑11, built by Lanteris Space Systems (an Intuitive Machines subsidiary), weighs about 15,000 lb (7.5 t) and is based on the IM‑1300 satellite bus; roughly 60 % of its mass is propellant.
- The satellite will replace the aging XM‑5 (2010) and FM‑5 (2009) satellites, enhancing signal reception, expanding coverage to Alaska, and supporting audio services across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.
- After launch, SXM‑11 will be deployed about 30 minutes liftoff and is expected to remain operational until at least 2040, following the service life of its predecessor SXM‑10 (launched June 2025).
SiriusXM’s next‑generation broadcasting satellite, SXM‑11, is poised for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch window opens at 10:25 p.m. EDT (02:25 UTC) on Sunday and remains open for nearly four hours. Forecasters from the 45th Weather Squadron predict an 80 % probability of favorable weather at the start of the window, climbing to 90 % as the evening progresses. Their primary concern is the possible interference from cumulus and anvil clouds generated by seabreeze‑driven storms, though they expect any lingering convection to weaken later in the night during both the primary and backup launch opportunities.
The Falcon 9 booster assigned to this mission is B1085, which will be making its 17th flight. Prior flights include NASA’s Crew‑9, the U.S. Space Force’s RRT‑1, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1, the Fram2 commercial crew mission, SiriusXM’s own SXM‑10, the European MTG‑S1 weather satellite, EchoStar XXV, and nine Starlink launches. Approximately eight and a half minutes after liftoff, B1085 will execute a guided return and attempt to land on the autonomous drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas positioned in the Atlantic Ocean, continuing SpaceX’s routine of booster recovery for re‑use.
About thirty minutes after launch, the Falcon 9’s upper stage will release the SXM‑11 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. Manufactured by Lanteris Space Systems—a subsidiary of Texas‑based Intuitive Machines that acquired the former Maxar Space Systems in January 2026 for roughly $800 million—the satellite weighs approximately 15,000 pounds (7.5 metric tons). Its structure is derived from the IM‑1300 satellite bus, and when its solar arrays are fully deployed the spacecraft spans 106 feet (32.3 meters). Around 60 % of the satellite’s mass consists of onboard propellant, which will enable station‑keeping and end‑of‑life maneuvers over its multi‑decade lifespan.
SXM‑11 is destined to replace two legacy SiriusXM satellites: the XM‑5, launched in 2010, and the FM‑5, launched in 2009. According to SiriusXM, the new spacecraft is the most powerful high‑powered satellite in its fleet. It will improve signal reception, extend coverage into Alaska, and continue delivering the company’s audio entertainment and information services to listeners across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. The firm highlighted the satellite’s readiness on its LinkedIn page, noting that years of planning, engineering, testing, and collaboration have culminated in this launch.
The predecessor to SXM‑11, SXM‑10, launched in June 2025 and is projected to remain operational until at least 2040, based on a SiriusXM filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. With SXM‑11 joining the constellation, SiriusXM aims to sustain and enhance its broadcast capabilities well into the next decade, ensuring reliable satellite radio service for its growing subscriber base. The launch will be streamed live by Spaceflight Now, with coverage beginning roughly an hour before liftoff.