Comments on: SpaceX simplifies smallsat rideshare program, effectively slashing prices

By: Edward

Edward — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 03:55:18 +0000

V-Man asked: “Is 50kg the minimum size? What if a school wants to launch a 1kg cubesat?”

50kg is the minimum size that the customer pays for. He can still mount a 1kg cubesat, but he pays for 50kg. This is why the article mentions “aggregators,” companies that arranges for several satellites, that are below the minimum mass, to ride together so that the aggregate of all the satellites equals or exceeds the minimum mass, resulting in the cost to each customer to be much closer to the $5,500 per kg.

“Is the mass of the dispenser counted in the mass of the satellite? Or they have standard ones built into the adapter?”

From the figures in the article, it looks like SpaceX has standard-sized mounting plates rather than standard release mechanisms or dispensers. However, the article does suggest that SpaceX is flexible enough to supply a dispenser, it does not say whether this would be an additional cost to the customer.

SpaceX also appears to be willing to book and integrate individual ‘containerized’ cubesats without the need for an aggregator’s dispenser.

Most likely, the mass of a dispenser or release mechanism is paid in addition to the mass of the satellite. This would mean that a 50kg satellite with a 10kg release mechanism likely costs the $275,000 for the first 50kg plus another $55,000 for the release mechanism, and a 40kg satellite with a 10kg release mechanism would still cost the $275,000 minimum price.

In the 1990s, industry watchers had predicted that if launch costs could be reduced to $2,000 per pound (~$4200 per kg) then there would be a large increase in the demand for launch services. After inflation, SpaceX is charging a similar price to this prediction, and we have seen that there are many smallsats being launched, enough to encourage several companies to dedicate themselves to the smallsat launch market.

By: sippin_bourbon

sippin_bourbon — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 20:43:56 +0000

Speaking of small launchers.
Long interview with Peter Beck, RocketLab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb7_dDOcb78
1:34:40.
Most interesting is that he states the main issues with launch cadence is customer readiness.
He had said in a previous appearance that customer readiness and government paperwork/permissions are the two biggest hold ups.

By: V-Man

V-Man — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 16:36:05 +0000

Is 50kg the minimum size? What if a school wants to launch a 1kg cubesat?

Is the mass of the dispenser counted in the mass of the satellite? Or they have standard ones built into the adapter?

By: sippin_bourbon

sippin_bourbon — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 15:41:10 +0000

It will certainly impact small launchers. They still have the advantage of being able to put your cargo into an orbit not being serviced by the rideshare. And they have capability above 50kg. But this will still put pressure on them.

The question is, what percentage of small sats are 50kg and below. In other words, how much of the market does this represent.

I linked to a company that researches this stuff a while back, will need to dig those up again.

By: Edward

Edward — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 03:55:51 +0000

Since the smallsat launchers still seem to be launching as fast as they can, given the recentness of their entry into the market, SpaceX’s Ridshare program may not yet be hurting them. As they ramp up their launch cadences, we will have to see whether SpaceX becomes their competition or eases out of that market.

By: Col Beausabre

Col Beausabre — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 02:12:30 +0000

Bob, How much do you weigh?

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 19:43:35 +0000

So I can get 10 times the mass launched for about 2.5 times what I paid for 5kg. That is a bargain. Expect more rideshare companies to startup and a few of the big ones to fail.