SpaceX’s Falcon 9 successfully launched Transporter-13, carrying over 70 payloads into orbit. This mission, the latest in a series of dedicated rideshare missions, reshaped the small satellite industry. The launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:43 a.m. Eastern on March 15, marked the second of three launches SpaceX undertook in just over 12 hours.
Transporter-13 included 74 payloads, a mix of hosted payloads and satellites for later deployment. SpaceX's website detailed 47 separate deployments planned over 90 minutes. The mission featured a diverse customer base, including both established players and new entrants.
Spire deployed seven Lemur satellites, while Iceye launched four synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, one being their first "Gen4" satellite with enhanced capabilities. Varda Space Industries launched its third orbital processing and return capsule mission, W-3, following the successful landing of W-2. Among the first-time customers were Albedo, launching its Clarity-1 satellite for high-resolution imagery, and Startical, deploying its IOD-1 satellite for aircraft communications. MuonSpace also participated, launching its FireSat Protoflight satellite for wildfire monitoring. Even NASA contributed, launching the Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE) mission, comprising three 6U cubesats for atmospheric research. “EZIE will help us understand how these currents form and evolve, at scales we’ve never probed,” stated Larry Kepko, EZIE mission scientist.
The success of SpaceX’s Transporter series and its newer Bandwagon missions highlights the high demand for rideshare services. However, this success also fuels concerns among smaller launch companies. “Cost is still an issue because you have a player that has dropped costs tremendously. It’s obviously helped the market boom, but now everybody else is trying to meet those prices,” noted Stella Guillen, chief commercial officer of Isar Aerospace. Marino Fragnito, chief commercial officer of Avio, added, “Why is there a market for smallsats today? I can answer this question, because there’s a price of $6,000 per kilogram. Otherwise, this market would not exist.” He highlighted the incredibly low price of SpaceX rideshare launches, stating, “I cannot do that. Nobody can do it. Not even SpaceX. They do it at a loss.”
While rideshare missions benefit companies launching initial satellites, many believe a shift towards dedicated launches will occur as constellations expand, providing greater control over orbits and schedules. Peter Beck, chief executive of Rocket Lab, emphasized this point, stating, “Every Electron launch in 2025 so far has been to expand a satellite constellation…Electron provides our customers with total flexibility and control over their schedule, orbit, and other critical mission elements.” However, companies like Iceye and Spire heavily rely on rideshare missions for constellation development and replenishment.