How Much Does It Cost to Launch a CubeSat?
Short answer: A 1U CubeSat rides to low Earth orbit for roughly $40,000–$80,000 through a rideshare broker; a 3U runs about $100,000–$250,000, and a 6U or 12U $250,000–$600,000. SpaceX's Transporter missions set the floor at about $7,000 per kilogram after a $350,000 minimum, but CubeSats buy a slot in a deployer rather than raw kilograms, so brokers (Exolaunch, ISILaunch, D-Orbit, Maverick) price by unit size, orbit and deployment options. The satellite itself typically costs as much again, or several times more.
List and rideshare prices as of 2026-09-01. Figures track the launch cost guide; contract prices vary.
Price by option
| Option | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1U CubeSat, rideshare via broker | $40k–$80k | Standard deployer slot on a Transporter-class mission to ~500 km SSO |
| 3U CubeSat, rideshare via broker | $100k–$250k | The most common size; price rises with late booking and custom orbits |
| 6U CubeSat, rideshare via broker | $250k–$400k | Heavier deployer, often with propulsion or larger solar arrays |
| 12U / 16U CubeSat | $400k–$800k | Approaching smallsat pricing; consider a dedicated deployer |
| ISS deployment (Nanoracks/Voyager, JEM airlock) | $60k–$200k | Lower altitude (~400 km) so 1–2 year lifetime; convenient for university missions |
| Dedicated small launcher (Electron), shared | $1M+ per slot | Exact orbit and schedule; overkill for most CubeSats |
The costs that are not on the price list
- Integration and deployer fees (often bundled by brokers, not by SpaceX directly).
- Licensing: an FCC experimental or Part 25 licence, NOAA remote-sensing licence if you carry a camera, and ITU coordination, weeks to months and real fees.
- Testing: vibration, thermal-vacuum and deployer fit checks at a test house.
- Ground station time or a ground-station-as-a-service contract for the mission lifetime.
- Insurance is usually skipped for CubeSats; the satellite is the risk budget.
Frequently asked
What is the cheapest way to launch a CubeSat?
A university or research payload can sometimes fly free through NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative or ESA's Fly Your Satellite programme. Commercially, a 1U slot on a rideshare broker's manifest at roughly $40,000–$80,000 is the floor.
How much does a CubeSat itself cost?
A basic 1U educational CubeSat can be built for $50,000–$150,000 in parts; a 3U commercial-grade bus with a real payload runs $250,000 to over $1 million. Launch is often less than half the total mission cost.
How long does it take to book a CubeSat launch?
Rideshare manifests fill 6–18 months ahead. Book once the mass and volume are frozen, before the design is finished.
Run your own numbers
Mass, orbit, vehicle, insurance: the calculator does the delivered-cost math.
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