NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The appeal of small satellites continues to increased. Their small size reduces the cost of building and launching satellites, thus increasing the number of institutions that can afford them. In addition, their low cost allows institutions to take more risks, since the potential loss of a system would not be disastrous.
NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) is a major driver of the increasing popularity of CubeSats. The program provides access to space for universities and other institutions engaged in building small satellites for scientific and technology development purposes. While the institutions remain responsible for the cost of building the satellites, NASA lends its extensive experience to the organizations, and coordinates launch opportunities.
For a time, a lack of launch slots for small satellites limited launches under the CSLI program. However, NASA has worked with launch providers to rectify the situation. After no CSLI satellites launched in 2016, NASA procured enough launch slots to send 12 CubeSats into orbit in four launches in 2017.
Going forward, NASA will continue to procure slots aboard launch vehicles in order to enable CSLI CubeSats to launch into orbit. For example, NASA will procure dedicated small-launch-vehicle services through Venture Class Launch Services (VCLS) contracts. Under contracts signed in October 2015, Firefly Space Systems, Rocket Lab, and Virgin Orbit are all slated to fly CubeSats on their new launch vehicles
The new launch contracts will create additional opportunities to place CubeSats in orbit. Since many organizations will continue to build CubeSats, the additional launch slots should get filled. Forecast International expects the CSLI to sponsor about 25-27 launches per year by 2022, a level that should be retained through the 2030s.
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