For the second time in less than a year, SpaceX has adjusted pricing on rideshare launches and Starlink.
Rideshare: The price tag of a Falcon 9 Transporter launch increased by 18%, from $5,500 per kg to $6,500 per kg. The hike comes after a 10% increase the previous year.
Starlink: In an email to customers, Starlink announced it was moving to a tiered pricing system, where monthly fees will vary by geographic coverage capacity.
- “Limited Capacity” areas will see prices increase by $10 a month to $120.
- “Excess Capacity” regions saw prices decrease by $20 a month to $90.
Inflation and pricing power: While SpaceX pegged its 2022 price hikes to inflation, the company declined to offer a public justification for its Transporter price increases.
The reason is likely part inflation, part pricing power. SpaceX has an opportunity to improve margins amid high demand for its Transporter rideshare services. Spacecraft operators are currently facing a two-year wait to fly economy on a Falcon 9. And despite the price increase, the $6,500 per kg rideshare price remains significantly cheaper than alternative options.
