rideshare

Momentus delays first Vigoride launch
In-space transportation provider Momentus is delaying its first operational mission, which was to fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 later this month, because of delays completing an interagency review.

Spaceflight announces Sherpa tug with electric propulsion
Rideshare launch service provider Spaceflight Inc. announced a new version of its Sherpa tug Nov. 12 equipped with electric propulsion that can send smallsats to high orbits or cislunar space.

TriSept signs deal to integrate Army cubesat with Electron
TriSept Corp, a launch integration and mission management company, announced a launch services agreement Oct. 21 with U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command.

Momentus and Kepler announce service agreement
Momentus Space announced an agreement Oct. 20 with Canada’s Kepler Communications to arrange the 2021 launch of two satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare flight and delivery to their desired orbital altitude in the Vigoride in-space transportation vehicle.

Exolaunch signs pact with SpaceX and scouts U.S. location
Exolaunch signed an agreement with SpaceX to secure rides for dozens of small satellites on SpaceX rideshare missions scheduled to launch later this year and in 2021.

Made In Space Europe and Momentus plan robotic spacecraft
Made In Space Europe, a Redwire subsidiary, announced an agreement Sept. 1 with space transportation company Momentus to jointly develop a robotic spaceflight mission to launch in 2022.

Kepler signs launch agreement with Exolaunch
Kepler Communications announced a launch agreement Aug. 18 with Exolaunch of Germany for two cubesats scheduled for flight in September on a Russian Soyuz rideshare mission. Under the contract, Exolaunch will provide launch, mission management, integration and deployment services for Kepler’s two six-unit XL cubesats.

GK Launch Services offering lunar smallsat rideshare opportunity
The Russian company that markets commercial Soyuz launches says it is offering capacity on a launch of a Russian lunar mission next year for smallsat secondary payloads.

Benchmark to provide propulsion for Spaceflight’s Sherpa-NG
Satellite propulsion startup Benchmark Space Systems announced an agreement Aug. 4 to provide non-toxic chemical propulsion for rideshare provider Spaceflight Inc.’s next-generation orbital transfer vehicle, Sherpa-NG.

New NASA office coordinates rideshare launches of smallsat science missions
NASA has established an office to coordinate rideshare launch opportunities for its growing number of smallsat science missions, taking advantage of excess capacity on launches of larger spacecraft.

Swarm works with Exolaunch to fly 24 SpaceBees on SpaceX Falcon 9
Swarm Technologies is working with Exolaunch of Germany to send 24 SpaceBee satellites into orbit on the SpaceX Falcon 9 small satellite rideshare mission scheduled to launch in December.

Momentus to fly hosted payloads in 2021
In-space transportation startup Momentus announced plans Aug. 3 to begin flying hosted payloads for customers in 2021.

Exolaunch and NanoAvionics sign contracts for SpaceX flights
German launch services provider Exolaunch announced contracts June 29 with Lithuanian nanosatellite manufacturer NanoAvionics to integrate two cubesats on SpaceX’s rideshare missions.

Cubesat built in Monaco reveals new partnership approach
Orbital Solutions Monaco paid for and built the six-unit cubesat based on the Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems design. In return, OSM will share in revenues generated by GeoOptics’ weather satellite fleet.
Momentus and EnduroSat sign two launch agreements
In-space transportation provider Momentus announced agreements June 16 with Bulgaria’s EnduroSat to provide transportation for two cubesats scheduled to launch in February 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare flight.