The Falcon 9 missile is on the Florida launcher before takeoff for the Transporter-1 mission.
SpaceX
SpaceX launched another rocket on record books on Sunday with the first mission of its “rideshare” program that transports dozens of small satellites into space.
The Falcon 9 rocket, which took off from Cape Canaveral in Florida, carried 143 spacecraft into orbit – a new global record for the largest spacecraft launched simultaneously and surpassed the 104 mark set by an Indian PSLV rocket in February 2017 .
Named the Transporter-1, the SpaceX mission was the first for SmallSat Rideshare’s program.
While SpaceX announces the launch of a $ 62 million single-satellite Falcon 9, the launches of SmallSat Rideshare offer smaller satellites – as small as the size of a mailbox – an orbiting option for just $ 1 million for 200 kilograms.
Such rideshare missions have become increasingly common in the space industry, as international competitors such as Vega Arianespace seek to claim a share of the growing small satellite market.
Rideshare missions offer a different option for low-cost satellites looking for an orbit ride with smaller missiles, such as the Electron Rocket Lab, which offers a more tailored approach.
“SpaceX offers a competitive rideshare option, largely using its Starlink launches,” Bryce Space and Technology chief analyst Phil Smith told CNBC.
SpaceX service is not exactly on demand, Smith said, but companies can pay a launch premium based on their schedule, rather than the main client’s schedule.
“A fairly reliable ‘bus route’ is available,” Smith said of SpaceX, “because I guess you could compare companies like Rocket Lab and Virgin Orbit as on-call taxi drivers who take your satellite wherever you want.” as soon as possible. ”
Elon Musk’s company has launched 133 satellites for a wide range of government and private customers, as well as 10 Starlink satellites.
SpaceX customers aboard the Transporter-1 include: Planet Labs, Exolaunch, D-Orbit, Kepler Communications, Spaceflight Inc, Nanoracks, NASA and Capella Space, as well as iQPS, Loft Orbital, Spire Global, ICEYE, HawkEye 360, Astrocast and University of South Florida Institute of Applied Engineering.
In particular, the 10 Starlink satellites in this mission will be the first in the constellation to orbit a polar orbit as the company continues to expand public access to its satellite Internet network. These 10 satellites were added after Momentus took on its first Vigoride mission since the launch of Transporter-1 earlier this month. Momentus cited the additional time needed to approve the regulations as the cause of the change.
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