SpaceX has put 114 payloads into orbit on a Falcon 9, the sixth mission in its small-satellite ride-sharing program. But while the rocket company is already a launch veteran - SpaceX just completed a record year with 61 launches in 2022 alone - for a handful of startup space companies, Transporter-6 marks a milestone.
Among them are Launcher, carrying out his first space tug mission; Magdrive, offering an inaugural demonstration of in-orbit technology; and Epic Aerospace, also launching a space tug for the first time.
Launcher CEO Max Haot said the company realized there was a huge market opportunity to develop a space tug after SpaceX launched its ride-sharing program, which dramatically lowered the cost of launching. Launcher's tug, called Orbiter, will deploy or host payload for 10 different customers. The company is also developing a small launch vehicle; Orbiter will be its third stage.
Space tugs cover a market segment for customers who need a specific orbit but want to pay less than the cost of a dedicated rocket launch, Haot said.
"There's always a need for a dedicated rocket if you need a specific orbit at a higher price, and over time we'll compete in that segment, but the space tug really helps make these shared flights more useful because you can get to to more than one orbit," he said.
Launcher is not the only one company that has set its eyes on the emerging space tug market. Epic AerospaceCalling itself a Space Transportation Network Company, it will also launch a tug on Transporter-6 for the first time. Space service companies Momentus, D-Orbit and Exolaunch will also deploy or host satellites for clients on this mission.
It may seem that the space tug market is already packed with entrants, but Haot says the final winners are still a long way from being decided.
"If we look at the press, it seems that many companies are building space tugs. But if you look at the customers, this is very new and no one has yet really demonstrated a high transfer capability that is useful for satellite companies.", Dijo.
Magdrive, a British start-up developing a high-thrust space propulsion engine, will also go into space for the first time for an in-orbit technology demonstration. The prototype propulsion system will take energy from onboard solar panels, store it, and discharge it at various power levels.
“The mission will last 12 months, but we will try to test all upload and download options as soon as possible to get as much data as we can,” explains Mark Stokes, CEO of Magdrive.
Transporter-6 will lift off at 9:56 am EST from the Cape Canaveral Space Station. It will be the fifteenth flight of the Falcon 9 rocket, nicknamed B1060. Transporter-6 will also carry satellites for Planet Labs and Spire Global, as well as other payloads for scientific, research and commercial customers. The launch will be broadcast live on the site from SpaceX.
