Launch cost estimator

How much does it cost to launch a satellite?

Estimate the price to launch a CubeSat or smallsat on a rideshare mission, a dedicated small launcher, or an orbital transfer vehicle. Enter your payload mass and target orbit to get an indicative rideshare price per kg range, built from published 2026 market benchmarks. This is a planning tool — for exact figures you send a free RFQ to the providers.

kg

Typical: 1U CubeSat ≈ 1.3 kg · 6U ≈ 12 kg · 12U ≈ 24 kg · ESPA-class smallsat up to ~180 kg.

Estimated launch cost — rideshare to SSO
from $— – $—
— per kg

Estimate only, not a quote. Actual pricing depends on your manifest, integration, insurance, and export control. Get exact figures via RFQ.

Get exact quotes from providers → Browse launch services

What the estimate does not include

A launch price is only part of a mission budget. These line items are quoted separately — most are available from providers in our marketplace:

Dispenser & separation CubeSat deployers and separation systems — the interface between your satellite and the rocket. Integration & testing Mission management, mechanical/electrical integration, environmental testing before flight. Launch insurance Pre-launch and launch insurance are priced by mass, orbit and risk — not part of the launch fee. Licensing & regulatory Spectrum/ITU filing, export control (ITAR/EAR), and launch licensing in your jurisdiction.

How rideshare launch pricing works

For most small satellites the cheapest route to orbit is a rideshare launch: your spacecraft flies as a secondary payload alongside others, and you pay a rideshare price per kg rather than the cost of a whole rocket. Sun-synchronous (SSO) and low Earth orbit (LEO) rideshare slots are the most abundant and therefore the most competitively priced; GTO and specialised orbits cost more per kg.

CubeSat launch cost is usually driven by a minimum ticket price rather than pure mass: a 1U–6U CubeSat is light enough that you pay a floor price for the slot and separation port. Larger ESPA-class smallsats scale closer to the per-kg rate. A dedicated small launcher (a rocket flown just for you) costs more per kg but gives you control of orbit, schedule and deployment. An orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) buys a cheap rideshare slot and then adds last-mile propulsion to drop you into a precise orbit — you pay the rideshare price plus the transfer service.

The estimator above turns your mass and orbit into an indicative range from these published 2026 benchmarks. Because real pricing depends on the specific manifest, launch date, integration scope and insurance, the only way to get a firm number is a quote from the provider — match your mission and send a free RFQ.