![]() It’s too early to completely rule out large vehicles for future dedicated rideshare missions however, it is more likely that small- and medium-sized launch vehicles will become the vehicles of choice for future dedicated rideshare missions.Īnother important lesson that is seen across all rideshare missions is the need for flexibility. Now, with more than 60 payloads on a single mission, the complexities are amplified. Complexity touches every part of rideshare missions, including integrating payloads, placing multiple satellites on orbit, and managing regulatory needs. While SSO-A: SmallSat Express has not yet launched, there are already several important lessons learned from this missionįirst is that a large number of satellites on one launch is an incredibly complex undertaking. Increasing access to space has always been Spaceflight’s mission as an organization, and rideshare represents a viable solution to the many hurdles present in accessing space, including availability, cost, and other factors.ĭedicated rideshare missions address those challenges in an expedited fashion, flying large amounts of spacecraft to orbit at one time the mission is also solely dedicated to smallsats. This will be an important and unique launch for Spaceflight. Spaceflight manifested this entire mission with more than 60 payloads from 17 different countries from across more than 30 organizations. ![]() This historic mission, named SSO-A: SmallSat Express, will be the largest mission from a U.S.-based launch vehicle. This year, Spaceflight will be executing the company’s first-ever dedicated rideshare mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. One large development is the emergence of dedicated rideshare missions, where a launch is fully dedicated to smallsats. The growth of smallsats has created demand for frequent and reliable launches, opening the door for rideshare, while also encouraging growth from launch vehicle providers.Īs demand for access to space continues to grow, rideshare options will also continue to grow and evolve. The two elements are closely intertwined. These predictions are, in part, due to the decreased lifespan and increased production of satellites however, it is also due to the increasing number of launch options available. in size seeking launch opportunities will grow roughly 15 percent year-over-year through 2023. Industry experts are predicting that spacecraft ranging from 1 to 50 kg. The industry is showing no signs of slowing down. While not all of the launches included in these forecasts will be rideshare launches (some satellite developers will seek dedicated launches, while others may be restricted from flying on rideshare missions), the belief is that approximately 40 percent of the predicted market value, roughly $780 million in 2019, will be derived from rideshare launches. That number is expected to grow to nearly $2 billion in 2019. Rideshare maximizes launch capacities, increasing revenue for vehicle providers, while decreasing costs for satellite developers and providing a stable cadence of opportunities to access space.Īccording to industry experts, by the end of 2018, the market for smallsat lunches is predicted to reach approximately $1.7 billion. Rideshare was born as an innovative solution to benefit launch vehicle providers and satellite developers. Since then, the market has evolved dramatically, largely due to the extreme growth of both smallsat developers and launch vehicle providers. Five years have passed since Spaceflight’s maiden rideshare voyage on an Orbital Antares launch with a 3U cubesat.
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