SpaceOnomics
Speaker: Prachi Kawade
Key Takeaways:
- Kuiper systems entry creates a strong competitor providing end to end solutions in connectivity space
- The current small satellite market is growing and about 20,425 satellites are expected to be launched from 2019 to 2033. This demand is driven by the LEO constellations.
SpaceCast
- New Optional Streamlined Licensing Procedure for Small-satellite Operators
- Swissto12 raises $18.44 million, signs small GEO manufacturing pact with Tyvak
- Concern raised about the current government-hosted payload policy
- SpaceX’s small-satellite launch program updated with lower costs and increased flight opportunities
- Launch Reseller Acquires Newly Announced ISRO Small-sat Launcher
New Optional Streamlined Licensing Procedure for Small-satellite Operators
The new optional licensing process rolled out by the FCC (US regulatory agency for communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable) comes with a lower application fee, shorter review timeline and easier application process. It is intended for new players operating on small budgets while providing potential interference protection and promoting orbital debris mitigation and efficient use of spectrum.
Some key criteria for eligibility include:
- 10 or fewer satellites
- Operational altitude below 600km
- Maximum mass of 180kg
- Clearing the compatibility testing using NASA software across in-orbit collision risk assessment and assessment of atmospheric re-entry impact
- Ability to switch off the payload any time if any interference is detected
This is good news for the new players as they now have a dedicated regulatory framework that will guide their commercial business models with respect to operating their space assets. There seems to be a concern among established incumbents with regards to interference, and there is a view of having all small-satellites share specific spectrum slots. It will be interesting to watch moving forward. To learn more about the fast-growing small-satellite market, check out this study: Small-sat Quarterly Update (Q-3)
Swissto12 raises $18.44 million, signs small GEO manufacturing pact with Tyvak
Swissto12 raised $18.1 million Australian dollars ($18.44 million USD) to increase its manufacturing capacity in response to demand generated by the expanding small-satellite market, which is driven by the LEO constellations. Swissto12 has established offices in the US and Israel to serve US customers. This investment round was led by Swisscom Ventures and Swisscanto Invest.
This indicates that the component manufacturers in the industry are responding to demand being generated by the small-satellite constellation and shows the ripple effect generated due to small-satellite market expansion.
Swissto12 offers additively manufactured antenna arrays, waveguides and filters. It is using a collaborative approach to offer payload and subsystem products by use of its components along with procured components. Swissto12 has also established a partnership with Tyvak, focused on manufacturing large satellites for GEO. This partnership will enable mini-GEO missions in the telecommunication sector.
Concern raised about the current government-hosted payload policy
Concerns have been raised about the exemption of launching satellites from non-US service providers for government-hosted payloads. The 2013 policy requires government satellites to be launched on US space providers. However, the exemption is provided in case the government-hosted payloads are on commercial satellites.
The implementation of this policy will mean that it will be difficult for the government agencies to get the satellites to host the payload, as the operators may be hesitant to have the payload on-board due to increased complexity. This will narrow the options for the government.
The government-hosted payloads have failed to match the promised numbers due to the technical and financial difficulties and departure of government officials who backed hosted payloads. In 2014, the Air Force created a hosted payload solutions contract with 14 companies, which lapsed this year. Only a few hosted payloads were part of this contract from NASA and NOAA. None were from the Air Force.
SpaceX’s small-satellite launch program updated with lower costs and increased flight opportunities
With SpaceX focusing on the small-satellite market through proposed dedicated rideshare missions, it has revised the costs and plans for these missions following feedback from customers. To increase the launch slot accessibility, the company has agreed to provide at least one launch opportunity each month from March 2020. The cost is further reduced to $1 million for 200Kg satellites from the earlier announced $2.25 million for 150Kg satellites and $4.5 million for 300Kg satellites if booked 12 months in advance. SpaceX is planning about three dedicated SSO launches a year from Vandenberg Air Force Base, starting in 2020. SpaceX will provide additional rideshare services with excess capacity for Starlink satellites or other missions to SSO or polar orbits.
In the SpaceX launch schedule, 29 rideshare missions are listed from March 2020 to December 2021. Seven of these are to SSO and others are labeled mid-inclination, i.e., for Starlink satellites. SpaceX has announced an agreement with Momentus, an in-space transportation company. Momentus is the first customer-dedicated rideshare mission with Vigoride on board, which will allow the satellites weighing up to 250 Kg to be deployed to different orbits after release from Falcon 9.
This announcement increases the competition for the current dedicated launch service providers in terms of cost.
The price revision and other developments indicate that the small-satellite market is growing faster than expected. The next phase of assessment is to estimate the impact of new technologies entering the space industry and the way production lines evolve to meet the impending demand for large volumes of space hardware as the mega-constellations materialize.
Launch Reseller Acquires Newly Announced ISRO Small-sat Launcher
Spaceflight announced that it purchased the first SSLV built by ISRO for a dedicated small-satellite launch for a US-based constellation operator. The demand in dedicated launch services requires new launch vehicles to enter the market along with dedicated launch service options, and this purchase corroborates that trend. The newly incorporated commercial arm of ISRO, New Space India Limited, will be responsible for the delivery of the dedicated launch vehicle for small-satellite launches. SSLV is expected to deliver 500kg to mid-inclinations and 300kg to sun-synchronous orbits.
The space industry is witnessing, with this agreement, the growth of the dedicated launch services segment of the launch industry. It will be interesting to see how new players successfully deliver dedicated launch services to small-satellite operators.
