How Much Does It Cost to Launch a 100 kg Smallsat?
Short answer: About $700k on a rideshare: 100 kg is twice SpaceX's 50 kg minimum, so you pay the $7,000 per kilogram rate straight through and get dropped in the mission's orbit, typically sun-synchronous. If you need your own orbit or your own date, a dedicated Electron lists at $7.5M, which works out to $75,000/kg when a 100 kg satellite is the only thing on a 300 kg rocket — roughly ten times the rideshare price for the control. A dedicated Falcon 9 at $74M only makes sense if you are launching a whole plane of them.
List and rideshare prices as of 2026-09-01. Figures track the launch cost guide; contract prices vary.
Price by option
| Option | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SpaceX rideshare (Transporter / Bandwagon), 100 kg | ~$700k | $7,000/kg; the mission's orbit, the mission's date |
| Dedicated Electron, 100 kg as the only payload | $7.5M | $75,000/kg effective; $25,000/kg if you fill all 300 kg |
| Dedicated Falcon 9 | ~$74M | The whole vehicle (22,800 kg to LEO); only sensible for a constellation plane |
| Starship at mature flight rates (target, not for sale) | $10,000–$50,000 | SpaceX's stated $100–$500/kg aspiration applied to 100 kg |
The costs that are not on the price list
- Separation system and integration: the adapter, the fit checks and the campaign team at the launch site are billed on top of the per-kilogram rate.
- Orbit adjustment: if the rideshare drop-off orbit is not the one you need, onboard propulsion or an orbital transfer vehicle is your bill.
- Transport in a conditioned container, cleanroom time at the site and a chaperone team for weeks.
- Launch insurance, if you buy it; many smallsat operators self-insure.
- Licensing: spectrum (FCC/ITU), remote sensing if you image, and export control if you launch abroad.
Frequently asked
Is rideshare or a dedicated launch cheaper for a 100 kg satellite?
Rideshare, by roughly an order of magnitude: about $700k against $7.5M for a dedicated Electron. You pay the dedicated premium for orbit, schedule and primary-payload status, not for the kilograms.
What orbit does a rideshare put a 100 kg satellite in?
Whatever the mission is flying — most commonly a sun-synchronous orbit around 500 km. Operators who need a different plane or altitude budget for propulsion or a transfer vehicle.
How long before launch do I need to book?
Rideshare manifests fill many months ahead; book once mass and volume are frozen, well before the satellite is finished.