SpaceX deal boosts Falcon 9's secondary payload manifest

[DavidH]

Anyone can manufacture a satellite (with the strict definition ). Comm packages and remote sensing is different. SpaceX manufactured a spacecraft, not a comm sat and not an imaging platform.

Seriously, they've got datasheets and have advertised DragonLab. Why is it not a considered a S/C bus capable of hosting payloads?

http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php
http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20081103
http://www.spacex.com/downloads/dragonlab-datasheet.pdf
"Telemetry/data downlink: 300 Mbps (higher rates available)"

A comm sat is infrastructure with customers. Dragon's comm system is a customer relying on infrastructure. Does that make sense? A cellphone is not a cell tower.

That's not to say that SpaceX could never get in the comm sat business at some point, but Dragon is nothing close to a comm sat.

Neither GSO nor comsat were part of the question.

[Robotbeat]

Anyone can manufacture a satellite (with the strict definition ). Comm packages and remote sensing is different. SpaceX manufactured a spacecraft, not a comm sat and not an imaging platform.

Seriously, they've got datasheets and have advertised DragonLab. Why is it not a considered a S/C bus capable of hosting payloads?

http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php
http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20081103
http://www.spacex.com/downloads/dragonlab-datasheet.pdf
"Telemetry/data downlink: 300 Mbps (higher rates available)"

A comm sat is infrastructure with customers. Dragon's comm system is a customer relying on infrastructure. Does that make sense? A cellphone is not a cell tower.

That's not to say that SpaceX could never get in the comm sat business at some point, but Dragon is nothing close to a comm sat.

Neither GSO nor comsat were part of the question.

You edited out the original context quotes. My post was in relation to the original context.

[DavidH]

Anyone can manufacture a satellite (with the strict definition ). Comm packages and remote sensing is different. SpaceX manufactured a spacecraft, not a comm sat and not an imaging platform.

Seriously, they've got datasheets and have advertised DragonLab. Why is it not a considered a S/C bus capable of hosting payloads?

http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php
http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20081103
http://www.spacex.com/downloads/dragonlab-datasheet.pdf
"Telemetry/data downlink: 300 Mbps (higher rates available)"

A comm sat is infrastructure with customers. Dragon's comm system is a customer relying on infrastructure. Does that make sense? A cellphone is not a cell tower.

That's not to say that SpaceX could never get in the comm sat business at some point, but Dragon is nothing close to a comm sat.

Neither GSO nor comsat were part of the question.

You edited out the original context quotes. My post was in relation to the original context.

Sorry. I'll put the original question back.

Has SpaceX showed any interest in building satellites?

If SpaceX can reduce cost to orbit, doesn't that mean that cheaper bulkier satellites become more cost effective. If this type of satellite is not currently in production wouldn't it make sense for SpaceX to think about developing them itself, in a sense, taking vertical integration to its limit?

The satellite could then benefit from getting 'at cost' launches, so further reducing the combined price of the combination (payload/launcher) and enabling even bulkier, cheaper payloads, than if the satellite was from an external customer.

Perhaps, a low risk route to this might be through in-house secondary payloads. It might even create a market for Falcon 1e.

Again, I see no mention of GSO or comsat here.

[Robotbeat]

Well, if it doesn't mean GSO bird and just means making a spacecraft, then obviously yes. Just look on the fracking manifest, it's filled with Dragon flights!

It's pretty reasonable to assume the original questioner was asking about conventional commercial satellites like comm sats and remote sensing.

[gin455res]

Well, if it doesn't mean GSO bird and just means making a spacecraft, then obviously yes. Just look on the fracking manifest, it's filled with Dragon flights!

It's pretty reasonable to assume the original questioner was asking about conventional commercial satellites like comm sats and remote sensing.

I was really thinking comsats and remote sensing, I just added the last bit about secondary payloads to try to stay a bit on topic. But it got me thinking about whether secondary payloads might be a cheaper way of getting some experience in building commercial payloads.

[gin455res]

Didn't spacex invest in surrey satellite technology, who make small sats, a few years ago?

[Robotbeat]

Didn't spacex invest in surrey satellite technology, who make small sats, a few years ago?

I think they sold off their stake.

[peter-b]

Didn't spacex invest in surrey satellite technology, who make small sats, a few years ago?

They bought a 2% stake in SSTL from the University of Surrey. That stake was sold to Astrium as part of Astrium's purchase of the company.