Smallsat
With regulatory legwork complete, Swarm shifts focus to tackling launch delays
In an interview, Swarm chief executive Sara Spangelo said a trifecta of setbacks prevented the company from getting its constellation in orbit in the timeframe envisioned.
Smallsat launch delays prompt push for greater standardization
A study that found that every small satellite launched commercially in the last five years suffered delays is evidence of the need of greater standardization in payload accommodations so that smallsats can easily switch vehicles, one company argues.
Why the smallsat bubble may deflate, but not burst
For the last few years, investors, analysts and other observers of the entrepreneurial space industry have been forecasting end times for the industry’s current boom. So far, they've been proven wrong.
Op-ed | Streamlined FCC licensing a big deal for smallsats
Beyond the reduced administrative fees, the FCC’s new satellite rule fixes major problems for smaller satellite constellations staying in the United States.
Kepler books SpaceX rideshare for LEO satellites
Kepler Communications on Dec. 11 said it booked 400 kilograms of rideshare capacity with SpaceX in order to launch an unspecified number of its Internet of Things cubesat next year.
SpaceX says rideshare missions will launch on time, even if partly empty
SpaceX plans to launch regular Falcon 9 rideshare missions starting in March and won’t delay launches for tardy customers, a company executive said Oct. 8.
SpaceX revamps smallsat rideshare program
Less than a month after announcing a new effort to provide low-cost launch services for small satellites, SpaceX says it will increase the number of flight opportunities and reduce the prices it offers.
Big rockets cutting in as little launchers vie for smallsat business
As SpaceX turned its attention to the larger Falcon 9 and programs like commercial cargo and crew, its presence at the annual Conference on Small Satellites, and the overall smallsat industry, faded. At this year’s conference, SpaceX retained its low profile but also announced its return to the smallsat market.
Analysis | Are smallsats entering the maturity stage?
The smallsat market, still rife with uncertainty, is at the beginning of an explosive growth cycle as large scale, expensive constellations face their initial launch.
Arianespace and SpaceX offering new dedicated rideshare services
Two of the largest commercial launch providers separately announced plans Aug. 5 to provide dedicated launches of small satellites to sun synchronous and geostationary orbits.
Op-ed | Small satellites are big business
With its unique alpha-to-omega regulatory sway over the satellite industry, the FCC plays an outsized role in shaping the nascent commercial space industry.
FCC to introduce new simplified licensing regulations for smallsats
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, speaking at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event here, said the regulations will make licensing small satellites cheaper and faster in order to better match cost and pace at which smallsat operators often function.
NASA selects planetary mission proposals large and small
As NASA selects its next major planetary science mission, the agency is also funding studies of very small missions that seek to capitalize on advances in smallsat technology.
Loft Orbital fills first condosat, preps for quarterly launches
Loft Orbital, a company preparing a constellation to carry payloads for customers who don’t want to operate their own satellites, has filled up its first satellite and booked a January 2020 launch through Spaceflight Industries.
On Capitol Hill, smallsat industry makes new push for government funding
The trade association that represents small satellite manufacturers is making a fresh push on Capitol Hill to ensure funds are included in the Pentagon’s budget for smallsat technologies.
Swarm CEO talks past mistakes, future goals
Swarm Technologies’ self-stated mission is to bring internet access to the whole world, but it’s best known at this point for defying the U.S. Federal Communications Commission by launching four tiny SpaceBee satellites last year without a license.
