SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket Launches Over 70 Payloads, Transforming the Small Satellite Industry
In a significant leap for the small satellite industry, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched more than 70 payloads on its latest mission, Transporter-13, from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch occurred at 2:43 a.m. Eastern on March 15. This mission was part of a busy schedule for SpaceX, being the second of three launches the company executed in just over 12 hours. The other two missions included the launch of the Crew-10 mission from Kennedy Space Center and a Starlink satellite launch from Cape Canaveral.
Transporter-13 carried 74 payloads, encompassing hosted payloads and satellites that will later be deployed from an orbital transfer vehicle managed by D-Orbit. SpaceX’s official website disclosed that 47 separate deployments were scheduled over a period of 90 minutes.
Mixed Customer Base and Technological Advancements
The Transporter missions, including Transporter-13, have consistently attracted a diverse range of customers from both government and the private sector. Spire Global, a company known for its small satellite data analytics, launched seven of its Lemur satellites aboard Transporter-13. Meanwhile, Iceye, a pioneer in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, launched four additional SAR satellites. Notably, one of these satellites marked Iceye’s debut of its "Gen4" model, boasting an antenna double the size of its predecessor and offering twice the power.
Returning customers also included Varda Space Industries, which conducted its third mission involving an orbital processing and return capsule, W-3. This mission follows closely on the heels of W-2, which launched on Transporter-12 and successfully landed its capsule in Australia on February 28. Varda’s W-3 capsule is also scheduled to land in Australia after its mission, which includes testing an inertial measurement unit for the U.S. Air Force.
New Entrants and Innovative Missions
Transporter-13 also welcomed several first-time customers. Albedo, a startup, launched its inaugural satellite Clarity-1, designed to operate in very low Earth orbit and capture high-resolution imagery with sharpness reaching 10 centimeters. The mission also carried IOD-1, the first satellite for Startical, a European startup with ambitions to create a constellation for aircraft communication over polar and oceanic regions. This satellite was constructed by GomSpace, a prominent satellite manufacturer. MuonSpace introduced its FireSat Protoflight satellite, a prototype for its proposed FireSat constellation aimed at wildfire monitoring.
NASA utilized the Transporter-13 mission for its space science project, the Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE). This mission uses three 6U cubesats flying in formation to map electrical currents associated with auroras in the upper atmosphere. Larry Kepko, the EZIE mission scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, emphasized the mission’s potential to enhance understanding of these currents and their evolution at previously unexplored scales.
Impact on the Launch Market
The Transporter series has significantly impacted the satellite launch market, particularly with its affordable rideshare missions to sun-synchronous orbits. These missions, along with SpaceX’s Bandwagon missions to mid-inclination orbits, remain highly sought after by satellite developers. However, they have also sparked controversy among small launch companies, which struggle to compete with SpaceX’s pricing. Some competitors allege that SpaceX is conducting these missions at a loss to eliminate competition.
Stella Guillen, chief commercial officer of Isar Aerospace from Germany, expressed concerns during the Satellite 2025 conference on March 11. She noted the significant reduction in launch costs led by SpaceX, which has invigorated the market, but also poses challenges for other players trying to match those prices.
Marino Fragnito, chief commercial officer and launch services director at Avio, the developer of the Vega C rocket, remarked on the same panel that the current market price of $6,000 per kilogram for SpaceX’s rideshare launches is unsustainable for other companies. He suggested that SpaceX is likely conducting these launches at a loss, a sentiment echoed by several industry players.
Future Outlook and Industry Reactions
Despite the competitive pricing challenges, some launch companies argue that rideshare missions like Transporter are ideal for companies launching their first satellites. However, these companies may eventually transition to dedicated launches on smaller vehicles to gain more control over their orbits and schedules. This viewpoint was reiterated by emerging launch companies during another Satellite 2025 panel discussion.
Peter Beck, CEO of Rocket Lab, supported this perspective following the March 14 launch of his company’s Electron rocket, which carried a satellite for iQPS, a Japanese firm developing a SAR satellite constellation. Beck highlighted that Rocket Lab’s launches to date in 2025 have all been aimed at expanding satellite constellations, showcasing the flexibility and control their service offers to customers, allowing them to tailor their constellations to specific needs.
Interestingly, some companies, such as Iceye and Spire, continue to rely heavily on rideshare missions like Transporter-13 to build and replenish their satellite constellations. This underscores the importance and appeal of SpaceX’s missions in the ever-evolving landscape of satellite deployment.
Conclusion
The Transporter-13 mission is a testament to SpaceX’s growing influence and capability within the space industry, particularly in the realm of small satellite launches. The mission’s success highlights the diverse needs of various companies and organizations, from startups to established players, and the critical role SpaceX plays in meeting these needs. As the small satellite industry continues to grow and evolve, the demand for flexible, cost-effective launch solutions will likely persist, with SpaceX remaining a key player in shaping the future of space exploration and satellite deployment.
For more details about the Transporter-13 mission and its impact on the satellite industry, you can visit the original report on the SpaceNews website.
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