What is rideshare?
Rideshare (also called a shared launch or co-manifested launch) is a commercial launch model in which multiple satellite operators share a single rocket, each paying for their mass fraction of the total payload. Rather than booking a dedicated rocket for one payload, a rideshare aggregator fills the rocket with dozens or hundreds of small satellites from different customers.
SpaceX Transporter programme
SpaceX's dedicated rideshare programme — Transporter — is the most prolific rideshare service in history. Transporter missions fly to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Transporter-16 (March 2026) carried 119 payloads. SpaceX has launched over 1,600 satellites via dedicated rideshare missions. Prices start at approximately $5,800/kg for a standard Transporter slot, compared to $50,000–100,000/kg for a dedicated small launch vehicle.
Other rideshare providers
Exolaunch, D-Orbit, and Momentus offer orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) services that take over after rideshare deployment, delivering satellites to precise orbital slots that a rideshare mission cannot reach directly. ISRO's PSLV is Asia's primary rideshare vehicle, capable of deploying 18+ secondary payloads alongside a primary mission. Rocket Lab, Arianespace, and Roscosmos also offer rideshare options.
Trade-offs
Rideshare is cheaper but less flexible than dedicated launches. Operators accept the primary mission's orbit — typically SSO at 500–600 km — and the launch schedule, which may slip. Orbit customisation requires an OTV for additional cost. For constellations with precise orbital plane requirements, dedicated launches or a sequence of rideshares may be necessary.