SpaceX F9 : Transporter-3 Rideshare : CCSFS SLC-40 : 13 January 2022 (1525 UTC)

[gongora]

https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1375481812462473219

Mars Demo-1, our in-flight tech demo on a Falcon 9 rideshare mission, is being pushed to Transporter-3 . Stay tuned.

[gongora]

I'm guessing this would be a Transporter-3 payload.

Leading Wildfire Monitoring Provider OroraTech Partners With Spire To Launch First Satellite in 2021

Luxembourg, San Francisco, Munich, April 8th, 2021 – OroraTech, a leading provider of satellite–based global wildfire monitoring and Spire, a leading provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, have today announced a partnership to launch OroraTech’s first payload on a Spire 6U nanosatellite. The satellite planned for launch in December 2021 will carry OroraTech’s unique and proprietary thermal-infrared camera and data processing unit designed to detect fires and transmit the data using Spire’s satellite and ground network. The technology will help identify and monitor the areas at risk of wildfires and enable early detection of wildfire hotspots.

OroraTech has developed a global wildfire intelligence service that processes data from satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO) to detect wildfires and monitor their spread. The application offers topographical map layers, weather overlays, vegetation data and fire risk assessments, serving those in the forestry sector, emergency responders and insurance companies.

Spire’s nanosatellite platform enables rapid demonstration of new technology with accelerated development cycles, and the provision of high-value data services at cost-effective rates. The Space-as-a-Service offering is an end-to-end service designed to rapidly bring new customer sensors to the vantage point of space within a few months of contract signature. From satellite platform provision, to launch, in-orbit operations, ground and cloud infrastructure, it is an easy-to-use service that allows customers such as OroraTech to focus on their applications and their end users.

The launch of this payload marks the first step towards the development of OroraTech’s nanosatellite constellation. The ramp up from one satellite to a full constellation is designed to significantly increase temporal and spatial data resolution, expand geographical coverage and fill in the data gaps of existing satellite sources.

“We are very happy to work with Spire as they are helping us to speed up time to market solving the crucial wildfire problem and offering high-resolution thermal infrared data for many other use-cases.” said Thomas Grübler, OroraTech Co-founder & CEO.

“At Spire, we understand how to collect data from space and generate high value analytics products for our customers. We are proud to host OroraTech’s payload aboard one of our nanosatellites and to see them grow beyond this first demonstration of its cutting-edge technology. OroraTech has a unique and impactful vision and mission, building technology that will help address one of the most crucial challenges to our environment, and we are proud to support them in their journey.” said Theresa Condor, EVP & GM Spire Space Services, Spire Global.

[gongora]

PION Labs enters Launch Agreement with Alba Orbital to Launch Brazil’s First PocketQube Satellite to Orbit via SpaceX in Q4 2021

Wed April 28th, 2021 -- Glasgow, UK -- Alba Orbital Inc and PION Labs today announced a rideshare agreement to launch Brazil’s first PocketQube satellite, PION-BR1, aboard the upcoming ‘Alba Cluster 4’ mission. The mission is scheduled to launch via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket using Alba Orbital’s flight proven AlbaPod to deploy the satellites in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

PION-BR1 is a 1P PocketQube satellite measuring at only 5x5x5cm, and is the first spacecraft of its kind in Brazil. The satellite will be a technological demonstrator for the solution under development by PION, designed to provide accessible, secure and reliable IoT (Internet of Things) communications through a constellation of small satellites. Also, the PION-BR1 will provide data and a beacon for radiomateurs as a secondary mission.
...

[gongora]

[Press Release] Kleos engages ISISPACE to build third satellite cluster
Andra Gentea  May 25, 2021

• Contract placed with Innovative Solutions in Space (ISISPACE) to build and support Kleos’ Polar Patrol Mission with an additional cluster of four satellites (KSF2), scheduled to launch at the end of 2021 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.
• ISISPACE to provide a turn-key solution from satellite design and build through to launch and early orbit phase support.
• ISISPACE contract includes optional addendum for a further three clusters of four satellites.
• Polar Vigilance Mission cluster (KSF1), expected to be delivered to the launch site week commencing 31st May.

Kleos Space S.A (ASX:KSS, Frankfurt:KS1, Kleos or Company), a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service (DaaS) company, has signed a contract with Innovative Solutions in Space B.V. (ISISPACE) to build and support its third satellite cluster of four satellites, the Polar Patrol Mission (KSF2), scheduled to launch at the end of 2021 onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.

Specialising in small-satellite solutions, the Netherlands-based ISISPACE has more than 15 years of experience in the design, manufacture, and operation of nanosatellites and is currently also preparing Kleos’ second satellite cluster, the Polar Vigilance Mission (KSF1) for dispatch to the launch site week commencing 31st May.

Under the contract, ISISPACE will provide a turn-key solution including design, development, production, testing, launch integration services and early orbit phase support. The Polar Patrol Mission create an opportunity for higher value subscriptions, increasing revenues by adding more frequent cover over commercial areas of interest and additional data products to the Kleos inventory. The final mission costs incurred are anticipated to be compared to publicly available satellite costs and within the envelope of the cost of the Kleos Scouting Mission advised within the prospectus. The contract includes an optional addendum for a further three satellite clusters (12 further satellites in total) that will facilitate constellation growth with volume purchasing advantages. Funding methods for subsequent clusters will be determined by the directors and will be through a combination of revenue, equity or borrowings depending on capital market conditions prevailing at the time.

Launching into a 500-600km Sun Synchronous orbit, Kleos’ third satellite cluster doubles the company’s coverage over both poles, complementing the Scouting Mission and Polar Vigilance Mission satellites, thereby enhancing global coverage. Data derived from the Scouting Mission satellites is expected to commence to early adopter customers shortly. Kleos’ Polar Vigilance satellites are on track for a mid-2021 launch onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, following the recent successful completion of key development milestones with ISISPACE.

Kleos’ satellites collect data that is used to detect and geolocate radio frequency transmissions, enhancing the detection of illegal activity, including piracy, drug and people smuggling, border security challenges and illegal fishing. Its global activity-based data is sold as-a-service to governments and commercial entities, complementing existing commercial datasets to improve their intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
...
www.kleos.space  www.isispace.nl

[gongora]

The Orbital Sidekick GHOSt satellites appear to be going on a later launch now:

1.1Schedule of upcoming mission milestones:  •Shipment of spacecraft: NET Q1 2022•First Launch: NET Q1 2022

(from ODAR for https://fcc.report/IBFS/SAT-LOA-20210520-00069)

[gongora]

In a presentation with Via Satellite, Spaceflight's VP of Engineering said they will be flying several Sherpa-FX and the Sherpa-LTC at the end of the year.  If those are all on this flight it would be an entire ring.

[Jansen]

http://www.albaorbital.com/launch
Name: Cluster 4
Slots available: Final slot
Launch: December 2021
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9
Orbit: 500-600 km, SSO

[Jansen]

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2581

Mission Details
Transporter 3
Transporter 3 is a dedicated rideshare mission by SpaceX. SpaceX’s SmallSat Rideshare Program provides small satellite operators with regularly scheduled, dedicated Falcon 9 rideshare missions to SSO for ESPA class payloads for as low as $1 million per mission, which includes up to 200 kg of payload mass.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Location
SLC-4E, Vandenberg AFB, California, USA

[StraumliBlight]

UMBRA-02 SAR microsatellite is launching on this mission.

[gongora]

D-Orbit Signs Launch Contract with Aistech Space

The space transportation and logistics company will launch and deploy in orbit Aistech’s 6U CubeSat aboard its ION Satellite Carrier

Fino Mornasco, Italy, June 23rd, 2021: Space transportation and logistics company D-Orbit announced today the signing of a contract with Aistech Space, a global space technology company, for the launch and deployment of a 6U CubeSat aboard ION Satellite Carrier (ION), D-Orbit’s orbital transportation vehicle.

The nanosatellite, named Guardian, carries a multispectral telescope designed by Aistech Space, with a variety of sensors from the visible (RGB), near infrared (NIR), and thermal infrared (TIR) spectrum.

Guardian will be launched and deployed with ION Satellite Carrier, the orbital transportation vehicle designed, manufactured, and operated by D-Orbit to transport a batch of satellites into space, perform orbital manoeuvres, and deploy them with precision into their operational orbits. Guardian will be integrated inside ION’s dispensers, alongside other spacecraft, and deployed according to Aistech Space’s requirements.

"We are excited about this new collaboration,” said Renato Panesi, COO of D-Orbit. “Aistech’s ultimate plan for a multi-payload and multi-platform constellation of 120 small satellites spaced in 10 orbital planes is one of the main scenarios for which we designed the ION Satellite Carrier. We are looking forward to working with them and contributing to the realization of their project."

Aistech Space is planning to deploy a constellation of 20 Guardian satellites. This will be one of the first commercial constellations able to collect thermal data on demand. Information captured by Aistech Space’s multi-spectral telescope will support decision making in fields such as water management, forestry, environmental monitoring, and maritime security.

“Our mission is to work with organizations around the world to tackle critical threats to people and the environment, and build a better, more sustainable future for the next generation,” said Guillermo Valenzuela, CEO and Co-Founder of Aistech Space. “Our Guardian satellites will provide organizations with critical information for mitigating large-scale threats, such as forest fires, floods, pollution, and illegal activity.”

The launch, slated for December 2021, will be the fourth mission of D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier.

[gongora]

0553-EX-CN-2021

The overall goal of the WVSAT mission, is to deploy small satellites with two distinct form factors, to test ground station radar tracking, and in doing so, demonstrate rapid turnaround and deployment of these satellites.
The experiment will use a total of 4 satellites, 2 ThinSats and 2 1U CubeSats, deployed from the Sherpa-FX Transporter 2 spacecraft (“Sherpa”). The Sherpa, owned by Spaceflight Inc., will be launched on SpaceX SXRS-4, NET December 1, 2021, into a sun synch orbit at 500 km perigee, 600 km apogee. The ThinSats unfold accordion style as they exit the deployer; the two CubeSats are separate from the ThinSats. Transmission will begin upon deployment, and cease when de-orbiting occurs. See the Orbital Debris Assessment Report for details.

[Jansen]

https://www.vzlu.cz/the-start-of-the-vzlusat-2-nanosatellite-postponed-towards-the-end-of-2021/?lang=en

Company Momentus, which is providing launching service into orbit for nanosatellites from the Falcon 9 rocket, has not obtained permission from the FAA to launch its carrier. This also affects the Czech nanosatellite VZLUSAT-2, whose launch was originally planned for the beginning of 2021 and then for the summer of 2021.

Based on these events, the Spacemanic flight broker, that mediates the Momentus services to VZLU, decided to withdraw from the existing contract and subsequently purchased a launch from the established launch service provider Spaceflight. A new contract for the launch of the VZLUSAT-2 in December 2021 was signed between Spacemanic and Spaceflight in early June.

[PM3]

JULY 08, 2021 – Madrid, Spain and Berlin, Germany

FOSSA Systems, Spanish picosatellite manufacturer, and Exolaunch, leader in providing both launch services and small satellite deployment technologies, announced today the signature of a service agreement to launch two (2) PocketPOD deployers in December 2021, carrying a total of eight (8 ) PocketQube satellites onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

Several PocketQube customer satellites will be flying on this mission, five (5) of which will be using the FOSSASat-2E high performance picosatellite platform.

- The WISeKey WISeSAT-1 and WISeSAT-2 2P satellites manufactured by FOSSA Systems for WISeKey, a Swiss-based cybersecurity, AI, and IoT company. WISeSat satellites (WISeSat.Space) will offer its customers IoT technology in a SaaS model that enables IoT communications along with authentication and encrypted. This mission will begin at the end of this year, with the launch of two (2) satellites.

- The CShark Pilot-1 2P Earth Observation and IoT Satellite testing new low power communication techniques and miniaturized optical systems for remote sensing.
...

Three (3) third-party satellites will also be brokered by FOSSA Systems into their final orbit.
...

https://www.fossa.systems/2021/07/08/fossa-systems-and-exolaunch-announce-the-launch-of-eight-pocketqube-satellites-in-q4-2021/

[gongora]

https://spacenews.com/lynk-books-spacex-flight-for-direct-to-cellphone-satellites/

Lynk aims to launch multiple operational satellites on a SpaceX ride-share mission in December, ahead of plans to provide connectivity services with the constellation directly to unmodified cellphones next year.

The Virginia-based startup booked a place on a SpaceX transporter mission through ride-share service provider Spaceflight, Lynk CEO Charles Miller told SpaceNews.

Miller said the venture is “actively looking at launches” for next spring, summer and fall as it nears regulatory approval to start commercial services under recently streamlined rules.

The plan to launch multiple satellites in one go in December could change “for tactical reasons,” he added.

[gongora]

Not confirmed for this flight, but cubesat schedule to launch in December.  Adler-1, 3U using Spire bus.  Austrian mission to test methods of detecting space debris.

https://spire.com/case-study/spaceservices/innovating-for-space-debris-detection-with-adler-1-satellite-mission
https://adler.oewf.org/

[gongora]

Lynk Tower 1.  ~50kg, similar to Shannon.     0656-EX-CN-2021

[gongora]

Maxar made an FCC filing that updates the orbit for the first two SSO sats to 518km, 97.47deg.  I really wouldn't be surprised if they end up sitting on top of the Transporter 3 stack.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Look's like Australian company Skykraft will be launching their Majura microsat on Transporter 3.

From attached press release.

"With Majura now flight qualified, Skykraft is ready for launch in December 2021."

They were launching on Vigoride, but have probably shifted flights.

https://news.satnews.com/2020/10/02/smallsat-launch-service-agreement-signed-by-skykraft-with-momentus/

"Momentus Inc.  (“Momentus” or the “Company”) has initiated a launch service agreement for deploying Skykraft’s smallsat on Vigoride’s mission that scheduled for launch in June of 2021."

[gongora]

Maxar made an FCC filing that updates the orbit for the first two SSO sats to 518km, 97.47deg.  I really wouldn't be surprised if they end up sitting on top of the Transporter 3 stack.

Those sats are delayed until next March-June timeframe.

[gongora]

https://www.planet.com/pulse/planet-signs-multi-year-multi-launch-rideshare-agreement-with-spacex/

Planet Signs Multi-Year, Multi-Launch Rideshare Agreement With SpaceX
 
Mike Safyan | August 5, 2021

We’re thrilled to announce a multi-year, multi-launch agreement with SpaceX, solidifying them as our go-to-launch provider through the end of 2025. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is the world’s most reliable and frequently-flown rocket that offers low-cost rideshare services, making SpaceX a natural choice for us. The first planned launch under this agreement is Flock 4x, 44 SuperDoves on the Falcon 9 Transporter-3 SSO rideshare mission scheduled for launch December 2021.
...