Session
Technical Session III: Making Space Accessible
Abstract
To realise the full potential of modern low cost mini-micro-nano-satellite missions, regular and affordable launch opportunities are required. It is simply not economic to launch satellites of 5-300kg on single dedicated launchers costing typically $10-20M per launch. Whilst there have been periodic 'piggy-back' launches of small satellites on US launchers, these have been infrequent and often experienced significant delays due the vagaries of the main (paying!) payload. In 1988, Arianespace provided a critical catalyst to the microsatellite community when it developed the ASAP platform on Ariane-4 providing, for the first time, a standard interface with affordable commercial launch contracts for small payloads up to 50kg. Some 20 small satellites have since been launched on the Ariane-4 ASAP ring, however as most of these microsatellite missions seek low Earth orbit (especially sun-synchronous) the number of prime missions into these orbit has declined since 1996 and with it the useful low cost launch opportunities for microsatellites. Whilst Ariane-5 has an enhanced capacity ASAP, it has yet to be widely used due to the infrequent launches, higher costs, and the unpopularity of the GTO orbit required by the majority of customers. China, Japan and India have also provided occasional launches for small payloads, but not yet on a regular basis. Fortunately, the growing interest and demand for microsatellites coincided with the emergence of regular, low cost launch opportunities from the former Soviet Union (FSU) - both as secondary 'piggy-back' missions or as multiple microsatellite payloads on converted military ICBMs. Indeed, the FSU now supplies the only affordable means of launching minisatellites (200-500kg) into LEO as dedicated missions on converted missiles as these larger 'small satellites' are often too big to be carried 'piggy-back'. The entrepreneurial effort of leading FSU rocket & missile organisations has taken over providing launches for the small satellite community with an excellent track record. However, negotiating and completing a Launch Services Contract for a micro-minisatellite with any launcher organisation is a complex matter and risky territory for the unwary or inexperienced - who may fall prey to unexpected costs and delays. Whilst this warning should be heeded when dealing with European and US organisations, it is particularly relevant to negotiating launches from the FSU where there is a plethora of agencies and organisations providing a bewildering range of launch vehicles and options. Furthermore, the FSU has developed a very different technical and managerial philosophy towards launchers when compared with the West and this can be unnerving to 'first-time buyers'. Organisations experienced in dealing in the FSU will encounter an excellent service - once the launch service agreement has been thoroughly and fiercely negotiated in every detail. Inexperienced buyers have encountered delays, lost opportunities, unexpected taxes, additional cost for services or facilities not originally specified, and frustration at the different procedures used in the FSU. Fortunately, all this can be avoided and the FSU is the current mainstay for launching small satellites quickly, affordably and reliably. SSTL has unique experience gathered over 22 years in handling launches for small satellites, ranging from a 6kg nanosatellite, 50-120kg microsatellites, and a 325kg minisatellite, using 7 different launchers from the USA, Russia, Ukraine, and Europe. This experience, and working closely with organisations in the FSU, has enabled SSTL to provide good value launches for its small satellite customers without delay and with an excellent launch success. The paper will describe the experience gained by Surrey, across the various launch providers, in successfully launching 21 small satellites - affordably, reliably and quickly. It will highlight the key factors that are necessary to ensure a 'good experience'.
Affordable Access To Space – Getting There
To realise the full potential of modern low cost mini-micro-nano-satellite missions, regular and affordable launch opportunities are required. It is simply not economic to launch satellites of 5-300kg on single dedicated launchers costing typically $10-20M per launch. Whilst there have been periodic 'piggy-back' launches of small satellites on US launchers, these have been infrequent and often experienced significant delays due the vagaries of the main (paying!) payload. In 1988, Arianespace provided a critical catalyst to the microsatellite community when it developed the ASAP platform on Ariane-4 providing, for the first time, a standard interface with affordable commercial launch contracts for small payloads up to 50kg. Some 20 small satellites have since been launched on the Ariane-4 ASAP ring, however as most of these microsatellite missions seek low Earth orbit (especially sun-synchronous) the number of prime missions into these orbit has declined since 1996 and with it the useful low cost launch opportunities for microsatellites. Whilst Ariane-5 has an enhanced capacity ASAP, it has yet to be widely used due to the infrequent launches, higher costs, and the unpopularity of the GTO orbit required by the majority of customers. China, Japan and India have also provided occasional launches for small payloads, but not yet on a regular basis. Fortunately, the growing interest and demand for microsatellites coincided with the emergence of regular, low cost launch opportunities from the former Soviet Union (FSU) - both as secondary 'piggy-back' missions or as multiple microsatellite payloads on converted military ICBMs. Indeed, the FSU now supplies the only affordable means of launching minisatellites (200-500kg) into LEO as dedicated missions on converted missiles as these larger 'small satellites' are often too big to be carried 'piggy-back'. The entrepreneurial effort of leading FSU rocket & missile organisations has taken over providing launches for the small satellite community with an excellent track record. However, negotiating and completing a Launch Services Contract for a micro-minisatellite with any launcher organisation is a complex matter and risky territory for the unwary or inexperienced - who may fall prey to unexpected costs and delays. Whilst this warning should be heeded when dealing with European and US organisations, it is particularly relevant to negotiating launches from the FSU where there is a plethora of agencies and organisations providing a bewildering range of launch vehicles and options. Furthermore, the FSU has developed a very different technical and managerial philosophy towards launchers when compared with the West and this can be unnerving to 'first-time buyers'. Organisations experienced in dealing in the FSU will encounter an excellent service - once the launch service agreement has been thoroughly and fiercely negotiated in every detail. Inexperienced buyers have encountered delays, lost opportunities, unexpected taxes, additional cost for services or facilities not originally specified, and frustration at the different procedures used in the FSU. Fortunately, all this can be avoided and the FSU is the current mainstay for launching small satellites quickly, affordably and reliably. SSTL has unique experience gathered over 22 years in handling launches for small satellites, ranging from a 6kg nanosatellite, 50-120kg microsatellites, and a 325kg minisatellite, using 7 different launchers from the USA, Russia, Ukraine, and Europe. This experience, and working closely with organisations in the FSU, has enabled SSTL to provide good value launches for its small satellite customers without delay and with an excellent launch success. The paper will describe the experience gained by Surrey, across the various launch providers, in successfully launching 21 small satellites - affordably, reliably and quickly. It will highlight the key factors that are necessary to ensure a 'good experience'.
