BREMEN, Germany - Exolaunch, a global provider of launch services and in-space logistics, has signed a new multi-launch agreement with SpaceX. The agreement includes more launches, more slots and more capacity for Exolaunch to integrate customer satellites onboard SpaceX dedicated rideshare missions, called Transporter missions, during the next two years.
Over 95 percent of that new capacity for next year, a payload mass of 3,000 kg and the equivalent of more than 100 satellites to be launched across SpaceX Transporter missions in 2022, has already been booked by Exolaunch customers. Procuring more launch capacity, twice the amount from the previous agreement, also signifies further business growth for the German company, which opened two offices in the US last month.
The next SpaceX rideshare mission with satellites integrated by Exolaunch, Transporter-3, is scheduled to launch no earlier than January 2022 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
To maximize payload efficiency and cost-effectiveness for its customers on these dedicated rideshare missions, Exolaunch uses its complete range of in-house developed technologies and systems, all fully qualified for Falcon 9 launches. They include the company’s flexible multi-satellite adapter EXOport, which optimally accommodates microsatellites and cubesats on Falcon 9’s payload stack, and CarboNIX, a next generation shock-free and flight-proven separation system for microsats.
To safely deploy its customers’ satellites into their target orbits, the company uses EXOpod, its upgraded cubesat deployer with half a decade of flight heritage. Customers flying aboard Falcon 9 can either use Exolaunch’s turnkey launch services or separately book the combination of its separation systems and custom deployment solutions, an option particularly addressed to smallsat constellation customers.
Exolaunch also continues to develop its “Reliant” line of environmentally conscious space tugs to provide last-mile delivery services and remove space debris.
On SpaceX’s record-breaking rideshare missions Transporter-1 and 2, 46 cubesats were deployed by EXOpods and 13 microsats were separated by CarboNIXes. Combined, Exolaunch launched over 1,500 kg of satellite mass and a diverse mix of missions by leading NewSpace companies from various countries all over the world.
