Exolaunch, the satellite launch integrator and deployer, signed multi-year launch contracts with SpaceX, extending Exolaunch’s small satellite launch capacity through 2028.
The contract extension continues a lucrative partnership between the two companies. Exolaunch deployed more than 400 sats from 20 SpaceX launches—including every Transporter and Bandwagon rideshare flight to date.
The deets: Exolaunch’s capacity buy reveals a booming satellite market, with more satellite operators choosing the company to support missions reaching more orbital destinations.
- The new agreements give Exolaunch space on multiple planned Transporter missions to SSO, Bandwagon flights to mid-inclination orbits, as well as launches to near-polar orbits and dawn-dusk trajectories.
- The contracts support a growing number of constellations by companies that have chosen Exolaunch to deploy their proliferated sats on-orbit, including ICEYE, Spire, Planet Labs, EnduroSat, Loft Orbital, Capella Space, and HawkEye 360.
- Exolaunch expects to use all its deployment hardware on these flights. It will launch satellites ranging from cubesats to those pushing 1,000+ kg (2,200 lbs).
Kier Fortier, Exolaunch’s VP of global business development, told Payload that the maturation of sat constellation operators has fueled a lot of this demand.
“These constellation operators, maybe a few years ago they were doing their first tech demo—and then maybe doing a few satellites, growing and finding the sweet spot for their business model. Now…they’re scaling the full constellation,” Fortier told Payload.
Onwards and upwards: On Exolaunch’s latest SpaceX flight—Transporter-13—the company supported 27 payloads for more than 1,500 kg of mass. On Transporter-14, it will support close to 50 payloads. In the future, Exolaunch expects to continue shipping 1,000 to 2,000 kg (2,200 to 4,400 lbs) of payloads per rideshare, according to Fortier.
To accomplish this, the company has grown its hardware to support larger and larger satellites. Exolaunch has also expanded its physical presence by opening new offices in Tokyo and Toulouse, France, this year.
