SpaceX is about to crush the record for most satellites launched on one rocket

While delayed from Friday on Saturday, SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 launch nonetheless appears to be on track to obliterate the planet ’s current record for the majority of satellites found on a single rocket.

Currently set at 104 satellites from an Indian PSLV rocket launching at 2017, all signs point to SpaceX beating that record by nearly 50 percent on its first committed Smallsat Rideshare Program launching. Kicked off 2019, not long after SpaceX finished its very initial committed rideshare launching for company Spaceflight Industries at December 2018, the Smallsat Program aimed to provide highly affordable prices to businesses and institutions available to rideshare arrangements.

While primarily centered around more regular but mass and volume-limited Starlink tag-a-longs, three of that SpaceX has completed, executives also promised regular bus-like Falcon 9 launches entirely committed to rideshare payloads. SpaceX’s first such assignment, called Transporter-1, is scheduled to launch no earlier than 9:40 am EST (14:40 UTC) on Saturday, January 22nd.

This Saturday we're launching 48 SuperDoves w/ @SpaceX! Interesting Fact: it's a record-breaking ride w/ 133 sats! (Beating 104 around PSLV at 2017 at which @PlanetLabs had 88) Tune in for 06:40PST / 14:40UTC liftoff: https://t.co/Lv8wr2xGTa Follow together @planetlabshttps://t.co/dguICciLP1

— Will Marshall (@Will4Planet) January 22, 2021

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In a surprising but welcome improvement, SpaceX continues to work closely with Celestrak – an extensive space-tracking catalogue – and provided prelaunch data estimating the amount of satellites along with their positions shortly after deploying from Falcon 9’s upper stage. Significantly, the information provides the very first unofficial but probably reliable method to determine the amount of spacecraft place to be deployed on SpaceX’s first dedicated Smallsat Program launch.

After notification from @SpaceX, CelesTrak has updated the SupTLEs for its Transporter-1 launching to signify a brand new launch date for Saturday, Jan 23. All other instances for installation relative to your launch in the opening of this window remain exactly the same: https://t.co/J39z8yvPdD. pic.twitter.com/x3mkNdMUtz

— T.S. Kelso (@TSKelso) January 22, 2021

It’s extremely tricky to determine precisely how many satellites are currently aboard without an official accounts due to the simple fact that no less than four firms – Exolaunch, Spaceflight, Nanoracks, also SpaceX itself – are simultaneously operating as payload integrators using their own independent deployment systems (and even spacecraft). Uncertainty aside, dependent on unofficial investigation of the numbers provided to Celestrak from SpaceX, Transporter-1 will probably be carrying everywhere from 133 into 155+ tiny satellites come liftoff. To put it differently, SpaceX is utilized to overcome the current record of 104 satellites from 25-49 percent.

This Saturday we're launching 48 SuperDoves w/ @SpaceX! Interesting Fact: it's a record-breaking ride w/ 133 sats! (Beating 104 around PSLV at 2017 at which @PlanetLabs had 88) Tune in for 06:40PST / 14:40UTC liftoff: https://t.co/Lv8wr2xGTa Follow together @planetlabshttps://t.co/dguICciLP1

— Will Marshall (@Will4Planet) January 22, 2021

An artist rendering of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launch a batch of small satellites. (SpaceX)

While incorporating sophistication, SpaceX’s openness to effectively subcontract large pieces of rideshare launching service management to other businesses also gives potential customers ways to acquire their satellites into orbit at costs much lower than that which SpaceX directly provides. Feb SpaceX.com, the company continues to require a minimum purchase of $1 million to 200 pound to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) and customers can choose to buy additional bulk for $5,000 each kilogram. Those costs might sound expensive but are actually exceptionally aggressive relative to the rest of the space launch market.

We’re counting down to the launch of assignment Zeitgeist, shooting 30 of our clients ' #SmallSats into orbit on #Transporter1, the very first dedicated @SpaceX #Falcon9 #rideshare assignment! Stay tuned to this exciting release! #NewSpace pic.twitter.com/mE0WRBltfT

— Exolaunch (@EXOLAUNCH) January 19, 2021

But $1 million will be roughly as costly as it receives for ordinary nanosatellites (~1-10 pound ). Rather, intermediaries such as Exolaunch and Spaceflight work to win and wrangle a number of customers into a certain timeframe and then buy necessary distance aboard a couple of optimum rideshare launching opportunities. In the instance of SpaceX, by way of instance, an intermediary can pay SpaceX $2 million to two docking ports and 400 pound of payload capability, locate 20 customers in need of launching, and charge each customer an average of $200,000 per satellite whilst still making a profit.

Falcon 9 is soaking from the afternoon sun awiting tomorrow morning's Transporter-1 rideshare assignment effort. This will be the fifth flight of all booster 1058 that will try to property on OCISLY in the new southern recovery zone. Window opens at 9:24 am ET. #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/UBzr8YfPue

— Julia (@julia_bergeron) January 21, 2021

Transporter-1 launch waits aren’t precisely shocking when one considers the simple fact that SpaceX is trying to manage the requirements of numerous different launching servicers and several dozen customers. To an extent, every customer satellite is unique and has unique requirements. In many situations, some of the assignment ’s payloads are fairly literally experimental, including even more challenges and doubt.

With some luck, the stars will align and let Falcon 9 to launch Transporter-1 this Saturday. Stay tuned for updates and webcast details.

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