Launch & deployment: questions, answered
Launch procurement, rideshare integration, licensing and insurance, handled as one work package. Our founders have done this the hard way: Exseed Sat 1 flew on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in 2018, Exseed Sat 2 on ISRO's PS4 platform in 2019.
How do satellites get launched?
Almost all small satellites fly as rideshare: dozens of spacecraft sharing one rocket, each deployed into its slot. Dedicated launches buy schedule and orbit control at a premium. The engineering is mature; the work is in integration, licensing and getting the paperwork right the first time. Our Offerings
What is a rideshare launch?
Sharing a rocket with other payloads, the way freight shares a container ship. It brought the price of orbit down far enough that small nations can now afford constellations. The trade-off is the schedule and the orbit belong to the primary passenger. Launch infrastructure
How much does it cost to launch a satellite?
Rideshare pricing is quoted per kilogram and has fallen steadily; a smallsat's launch is now typically a minority share of program cost. The number that matters is the whole program figure, which is why we quote launch inside one contract rather than as a surprise at the end. Discuss a national requirement
What licenses does a satellite launch need?
Spectrum filings with the ITU through a national administration, launch and re-entry licensing in the launching state, registration under the UN convention, and export-control clearances for the hardware crossing borders. Months of lead time; none of it optional. Our Offerings
What launch providers are available today?
More than at any point in history, across several countries and political blocs, which is precisely the buyer's advantage. We procure launch competitively across that market rather than defaulting to one flag, so schedule and geopolitics both stay negotiable. Our Offerings
How long does launch integration take for a small satellite?
From signed launch agreement to flight, typically six to eighteen months depending on the manifest. The satellite's own readiness reviews, vibration and thermal-vacuum campaigns run in parallel. Slipping a manifest is common; planning two candidate slots is cheap insurance. Experience
What orbit should an Earth observation satellite use?
Almost always sun-synchronous low Earth orbit, which passes every point at the same local solar time so lighting stays consistent between visits. Communications missions choose differently; the orbit is a mission decision, not a launch decision, and it drives everything downstream. Space Solutions atlas
Has Satellize actually launched satellites before?
Our founders have. Exseed Sat 1, built by a garage-scale team, flew on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in December 2018 as India's first privately built satellite in orbit. Exseed Sat 2 followed in 2019 as the first commercial use of ISRO's PS4 orbital platform. Both worked. Experience
What is launch insurance and do we need it?
Coverage for the launch itself and early orbital operations, priced per mission against the vehicle's record. For a national program the question is portfolio-level: sometimes insuring the re-flight, not the hardware, is the smarter position. We structure this per program rather than by habit. Discuss a national requirement
Can a satellite be launched from our own country?
Only a handful of states operate orbital launch sites, and building one is rarely the right first investment. Launch is bought competitively on the global market; the sovereignty that matters lives in the layers you operate for years, not the ten minutes of ascent. Space Sovereignty
What happens if our satellite's launch fails?
Launch failure is a planned-for event, not a program-ending one: insurance, flight-spare strategy and re-flight slots are decided before the first launch, not after. A well-structured program treats the constellation as the asset and any single spacecraft as replaceable. Our Offerings
How do export controls like ITAR affect satellite launch choices?
Hardware containing controlled components restricts which vehicles and countries can touch it, sometimes years into the future. Component selection and launch procurement are one decision wearing two hats; making them separately is how programs end up with a satellite that cannot legally reach its rocket. Our Offerings
Should a country buy a dedicated launch or rideshare for its first satellite?
Rideshare, almost always. The first mission's job is to build national capability and confidence, and paying a premium for orbit precision it does not yet need is prestige spending. Dedicated launch earns its cost when constellations need specific planes on specific dates. Launch infrastructure
How are satellites tested before launch?
The spacecraft is shaken on vibration tables to launch loads, baked and frozen in thermal-vacuum chambers, blasted with acoustic energy and checked for electromagnetic self-interference. The campaign exists because there are no service calls in orbit; everything gets found on the ground or not at all. Experience
What is the process from satellite contract to orbit?
Requirements and mission design, then subsystem procurement, integration and the test campaign, in parallel with spectrum filings and launch procurement, then the range campaign and flight. On one contract we run all of it; the customer's first operational decision is what to task, not which vendor to chase. Our Offerings