2.4 SmallSat Launch Opportunities
SmallSat developers globally are increasingly looking for low-cost launch opportunities wherever they can find them (e.g., Frick & Niederstrasser, 2018). Nearly 150 small launchers either already exist or are being developed for launching SmallSats (Niederstrasser & Madry, 2020). Historically, however, it has been more economical for SmallSats to launch as rideshares on larger rockets. In 2017, India’s PSLV rocket launched over 100 satellites developed by the U.S., the Netherlands, Israel, Kazakhstan, and Switzerland. International cooperation and coordination will facilitate future efforts and expand available options for SmallSat deployment and operation. For instance, the Access to Space for All initiative of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) connects established and emerging space actors to ensure the benefits of space are available to non-spacefaring and emerging space-faring nations.