What a stack! These 40 spacecraft are deploying in orbit right now.
Today’s dedicated smallsat rideshare mission, Transporter-4, just lofted 40 spacecraft, hosted payloads, and an orbital transfer vehicle (space tug). The central cylinder provides structural support for the ESPA-standard attachment ports, and the carbon fiber fairings loom above (before closing into a protective nose cone).
With several companies developing space tugs, satellite launchers can use the most cost effective launch vehicle (SpaceX) and then adjust their orbital inclination to the bespoke orbit they may want. This should allow SpaceX to address more of the small sat launch business (where their market share is currently ~80% by my estimates, mostly constellations). And the weekly launch clip continues, this being the 12th of the year.
Everyday Low Pricing and rideshare reservations online: https://www.spacex.com/rideshare/
Launch video: https://youtu.be/4NqSoHnkKEM
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