SpaceX company launched a "smallSat Rideshare" program known as Transporter-1 to carry dozens of small satellites into space.
Sreedhu S S
credits: SpaceX
SpaceX company launched a "smallSat Rideshare" program known as Transporter-1 to carry dozens of small satellites into space. Which can provide access for small satellite operators seeking a dependable, affordable ride to Orbit. Carrying 143 spacecraft in a single launch is done by Falcon 9 rocket. Company's smallSat Rideshare launches allow small satellites size like mailbox as $1 Million for 200 kilograms.
Such Rideshare missions have become growing usual in the space field. Rideshare missions give a low-cost choice for ride to orbit, with smaller rocket just like Rocket Lab's Electron offering a more customised approach. It is not quite on demand, but companies can pay a premium to launch according to the scheduled periods instead of the primary customer. The Transporter-1 includes:- Planet Labs, Exolaunch, D-orbit, Kepler Communications, Spaceflight Inc, Nanorocks, NASA and Capella Space, in addition iQPS, Loft Orbital, Spire Global, ICEYE, HawkEye 360, Astrocast, and University of South Florida Institute of Applied Engineering.
"There is well known route is available, whereas companies like Rocket Lab and Virgin Orbits as on-call taxies that get their satellites where they want it ASAP", said Phil Smith, Technology senior analyst. There are10 Starlink satellites along with the others on-board the mission will be the first in the array to deploy to a polar Orbit, the company go on to expand public access its satellite internet network. Those 10 satellites will be adding soon after Momentus took its first Vigoride mission off the Transporter-1 launch at the earliest of this month. Momentus cited needs additional time for regulatory approval as the cause of the change. There are two more Transporter flights also planned for this year. Tansporter-2 on June 2021 and Transporter-3 on December 2021.
The 143 satellites are:-
48 SuperDove satellites for Planet
36 SpaceBEE satellites for Swarm
10 Starlink satellites for SpaceX
8 GEN1 satellites for Kepler
8 Lemur-2 satellites for Spire
5 Astrocast satellites
3 HawkEye 360 satellites
3 ICEYE satellites
3 V-R3x satellites for NASA
3 ARCE-1 satellites for the South Florida University
2 Capella satellites
Sherpa-FX space tug for Spaceflight
D-Orbit’s ION SCV Laurentius space tug
iQPS-2 for iQPS of Japan
YUSAT for Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
IDEASSAT for Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
UVQS-SAT for LATMOS of France
ASELSAT for ASELSAN of Turkey
Hiber Four for Hiber of the Netherlands
SOMP2b for TU Dresden of Germany
PIXL-1 for DLR of Germany
Charlie for U.S.-based Aurora Insight
Hugo for GHGSat of Canada
PTD-1 for NASA
Prometheus for Los Alamos National Laboratory